Vrouw met twee kinderen en een vrouw met een paraplu 1834 - 1911

This drawing, "Vrouw met twee kinderen en een vrouw met een paraplu," was created by Jozef Israëls. With simple graphite lines, Israëls captures a woman with two children in what appears to be a moment of domesticity. Israëls, living in the 19th century, would have witnessed the rise of industrialization and the increasing pressures on family life. He was known for his empathetic depictions of working-class families, often portraying them in moments of quiet resilience. In this artwork, we see a mother holding a child. Another child sits in the background, while a woman with an umbrella lies on the floor. This composition reflects the social realities of the time, where women's roles were often confined to domestic duties and childcare. There's an emotional depth to the image, an echo of the daily struggles and quiet moments of connection within the family. It challenges traditional representations of women, and asks us to consider the emotional and physical labor involved in motherhood.