Drie figuren etend bij de open haard c. 1750 - 1800

G. van Citters created this etching, "Three Figures Eating by the Fireplace," which depicts a modest domestic scene. The image speaks volumes about daily life, likely in the Netherlands. The interior with its open hearth suggests a time before modern heating, a setting where communal meals were a central event. The figures, possibly a family, are drawn with an even hand, avoiding idealization or criticism. Such a work could be a comment on the virtues of simple living, or it could simply be an uncritical depiction of domesticity, reflecting the values of a society focused on stability and tradition. In studying images like these, the historian benefits from sources beyond the artwork itself, such as period cookbooks and household inventories, to understand the full context of its production. In doing so, we can better understand art's engagement with social norms.