Meisje met pop 1793

"Meisje met pop" is a drawing by Friedrich Rehberg, created in the early 19th century, a period defined by shifting social roles and burgeoning industrialization. The artwork depicts a young girl kneeling before a table, tenderly attending to a doll. This simple scene is imbued with the complexities of gender expectations, where childhood is not merely a stage of play but also one of preparation for future domestic roles. The girl’s posture and attire suggest a delicate balance between innocence and the performative aspects of femininity. Rehberg, who lived through tumultuous political changes, seems to capture a quiet, intimate moment, perhaps in contrast to the public upheavals of his time. There is an emotional tension in the girl’s absorption, a sense of rehearsing the scripts laid out for her. The drawing reflects society’s shaping of individual identities. Through it, we can reflect on the emotional and personal negotiations involved in growing up female.