Slapende vrouw en een man met een lijn kruit 1673 - 1715

Nicolaes van Haeften created this intriguing drawing with pen in grey-brown ink. It depicts a sleeping woman while a man is mischievously setting up a line of gunpowder, likely intending to prank her. This scene, made in the Netherlands during the late 17th or early 18th century, offers a glimpse into the social norms of the time. The humour seems to derive from a tradition of everyday life depictions, where domestic spaces became stages for moral plays. We can consider how the rising middle class in Dutch society at this time transformed social life and how artists like van Haeften tapped into those changes. The presence of alcohol, suggested by the sleeping woman and the tavern setting, along with the prank itself, tells us something about social amusements. To truly understand this drawing, it’s important to dig deeper into the visual and cultural history of the Netherlands. Researching the social customs, popular entertainment, and even the economic factors that shaped people's lives back then can provide a better perspective. The meaning of this artwork isn't just in the ink on paper, but in the society that produced it.