Vrouw veegt een gang met trap 1885

Charles Mertens created this etching, "Vrouw veegt een gang met trap," depicting a woman sweeping a hallway with stairs. Mertens, working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, captured a scene that reflects the rigid social hierarchies of the time. The woman, likely a domestic worker, is shown performing her labor in the shadowed foreground. The architecture looms over her, suggesting the weight of societal structures. The lack of detail afforded to her figure, contrasts sharply with the ornate doorway and grand staircase, reinforcing the class distinctions prevalent in Dutch society. This piece invites us to consider the lives of those whose labor is often unseen. Mertens captures a fleeting moment, yet it speaks volumes about the intersections of gender, class, and labor. It asks us to reflect on the emotional dimensions of the lives of the working class, and how their stories are woven into the fabric of history.