Boomstammen 1834 - 1906

This undated drawing titled 'Boomstammen' or 'Tree trunks' is by Maria Vos, a Dutch artist born in 1824. During the 19th century, women artists navigated a complex social landscape, often confined to domestic spaces and genres like still life, portraits, or landscapes, limiting their access to the same opportunities as their male counterparts. Vos, while working within these constraints, brought an intimate eye to her depictions of nature. Consider the emotional weight of these solitary tree trunks. Vos renders them with careful detail, highlighting the textures and the light filtering through the leaves. In a society that often relegated women to the background, Vos brings nature to the foreground. These trees, standing silently in the Dutch landscape, possess a quiet resilience, much like Vos herself. Her artistic journey can be seen as a subtle act of resistance, pushing against societal expectations and expressing a personal connection to the world around her.