Vrouw op ezel 1867 - 1913

Marinus van der Maarel made this etching, "Vrouw op ezel", whose date is unknown. Van der Maarel was working in a period when the representation of women was evolving in art. In this image, we see a woman riding an animal that appears to be a donkey or mule through a shallow body of water. She is part of a small group, and the scene has a quiet, somber feel. The artist’s choice to depict this woman might reflect changing attitudes towards women’s roles and representation in late 19th and early 20th-century art. Rather than a classical or allegorical figure, she is shown in an everyday setting, perhaps suggesting a shift towards more realistic or relatable portrayals of women. The emotional nuance of this piece comes from the combination of the woman’s calm pose with the rather bleak landscape and the communal journey. The simplicity of the scene invites us to consider the lives and experiences of women outside the traditional, idealized representations of the time.