Twee vrouwen en een man met kinderen voor een boerenschuur 1815

Jacob Ernst Marcus created this print, "Two women and a man with children in front of a farmhouse," in the Netherlands, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. It presents a genre scene, a slice of everyday life rendered in fine detail. Here, we see two young women, one making lace, the other looking on pensively. Behind them, a man interacts with children near a humble farmhouse. The image offers a glimpse into rural Dutch society. Lace-making was a significant occupation for women during this period, a source of income, but also a marker of their social standing. The farmhouse setting and the presence of children speaks to the agricultural basis of the Dutch economy at the time. The barefoot women and the modest dwelling points to the realities of peasant life. Understanding this print requires us to consider the economic and social structures that defined the Netherlands at the turn of the 19th century. Art historical research draws on sources like period census records and trade documents, along with fashion history, folklore and the history of agriculture.