Zie hier een twaalftal van werkzame vrouwen, - Leer vlytig, lieve jeugd al spoedig huis te houwen 1842 - 1866

Curator: Here we have a print titled "Zie hier een twaalftal van werkzame vrouwen, - Leer vlytig, lieve jeugd al spoedig huis te houwen," which translates to "Here is a dozen of industrious women - Learn diligently, dear youth, to build a home soon." It was created sometime between 1842 and 1866 by weduwe C. Kok-van Kolm. Editor: Immediately, the composition strikes me as very compartmentalized and ordered, almost like a precursor to a comic strip. The lines are very clean, with the use of hatched lines creating tonal variation. Curator: Yes, the arrangement into twelve distinct scenes, each depicting a different domestic activity, offers a structured narrative. This was produced during a period in which idealized versions of womanhood were rigidly defined and communicated via artwork like this. We can also appreciate it for its insights into social norms of the time. Editor: I notice how the artist’s employment of repetitive architectural elements – specifically the curtained windows – adds both depth and consistency throughout the entire composition. Also note the distinct way light seems to enter from the window within each panel. Curator: Precisely, it reinforces the domestic space as the primary domain of these women. What the artist emphasizes about women's work isn't just about physical labor; each scene also reinforces the educational role women play in shaping children's lives and managing the home. Editor: And, it goes beyond just the educational roles, it speaks to the idea of feminine productivity. Curator: Right! Each scene can be seen as upholding women’s perceived social standing based upon maintaining the household. Editor: Viewing this artwork, I find myself looking at the ways repetition creates a holistic system of signs. This print delivers not merely isolated acts but interlinking aspects within a broader structure of homemaking and virtue. Curator: When looked at through a modern, feminist lens, we can engage with the artist’s composition in a critical way—the print shows us how the pressures on women to maintain a domestic ideal are embedded and passed on from a very early age. Editor: Ultimately, analyzing the individual figures against their constructed environment gives us a clear understanding of formal techniques aligning perfectly with cultural narrative of labor. Curator: I agree, reflecting upon it now, this work invites viewers to contemplate societal expectations then, as well as reflect on gender roles as they’re enacted now.