Staande vrouw met een kind in de armen c. 1648 - 1652

Gesina ter Borch created this drawing of a standing woman with a child in her arms in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century. Ter Borch was born into an artistic family and she developed considerable skill as a draughtswoman in a society which excluded women from formal artistic training. The drawing creates meaning through the visual codes of dress and motherhood. The woman's clothing is that of the Dutch upper classes, signifying the importance of material wealth in Dutch society at this time. The tenderness with which she holds the child conveys the importance of the family. Historical researchers can study the lives of women artists such as ter Borch through census records, personal letters, and by looking at the cultural and social institutions of the 17th century. These resources give clues about the position of women in Dutch society and how social structures shaped artistic production.