Zittende vrouw met rijzweep 1832 - 1902

Karel Frederik Bombled created this small etching of a seated woman with a riding crop sometime in the mid-19th century. The woman, fashionably dressed, sits with a relaxed posture, holding the riding crop casually in her right hand. Bombled was Dutch, and during this period, the Netherlands saw a rigid social hierarchy, where the upper classes enjoyed privileges and pastimes like horseback riding, often barred to others. The riding crop becomes a symbol of authority and social standing. The etching technique itself, with its fine lines and delicate shading, evokes the refinement associated with the upper classes. Consider the institutional context, too. Art academies of the time often promoted portraiture as a way for artists to gain recognition and patronage from the elite. Bombled, through this intimate portrayal, subtly comments on the social structures of his time. To fully grasp the nuances, one might delve into historical records, fashion magazines, and social commentaries of the era. Art, after all, is deeply embedded in the social and institutional fabric of its time.