Woman in Window with a Pear c. 1651

Curator: Ferdinand Bol’s drawing, "Woman in Window with a Pear," showcases the artist's skill with humble materials. Look at the textures he achieves with simple graphite on paper. Editor: The woman's gaze strikes me—it feels like defiance, or perhaps a quiet resilience, in the face of societal expectations for women of her time. Curator: Bol was interested in portraying the human form through a manipulation of light and shadow, and through a material understanding of form. This method reveals class distinctions, visible labor, and access to resources. Editor: It's difficult not to consider the female gaze here, and how it pushes back against the expectations and limitations placed upon women during that period. Curator: Right, and by understanding the processes by which the work was made, from its materials to how it’s displayed, we gain insight into the culture that made it possible. Editor: Absolutely. It's through considering the historical, social, and political context that we can really unearth the power dynamics at play.