Koekenbakster 1768 - 1796

Pieter de Mare created this print of an older woman making cookies in the late 18th century. The Dutch Golden Age was long over, but the Netherlands was still a society undergoing significant transformation, with evolving class structures, and expectations around gender roles. This image captures a slice of daily life, the work of a "koekenbakster", a cookie baker, in her domestic space. What strikes me is the emotional weight of the scene. Here we see the woman absorbed in her task, her gaze focused downwards towards the pot, her wrinkled brow showing the effects of time. It’s easy to imagine her enacting a ritual of care, perhaps passing down family recipes. But the artist gives us little detail about her personal life, and she is instead presented as a common figure. Although seemingly simple, the image prompts us to consider the lives of working women, whose contributions were often overlooked but were essential to the economic and social fabric of the time. De Mare's print reminds us of the individual histories and daily struggles embedded in broader historical narratives.