Vrouw bij spinnewiel 1865 - 1910

Curator: Here we have "Vrouw bij spinnewiel," or "Woman at Spinning Wheel," an etching housed here at the Rijksmuseum. This print, created sometime between 1865 and 1910, offers us a glimpse into a seemingly quiet domestic scene. Editor: Oh, my, isn't it evocative? The soft monochrome is incredibly inviting, despite its humble scene. The spinning wheel, and the woman's presence feels intimate, and personal almost. Makes you wonder, what stories the walls could tell. Curator: Genre painting, like this etching, became popular during this period as industrialization shifted societal values. Artists started to romanticize and depict ordinary lives, specifically the lives of rural people and the working class, imbuing everyday activities with meaning and dignity. It speaks volumes about what was considered noteworthy art during those times, and which audiences artists were catering to. Editor: It makes me think of my own grandmother and her dedication to craft and home life. A spinning wheel might seem antiquated now, but back then it would have been very different. It seems an expression of diligence or persistence in what probably was quite a lonely endeavor. Curator: Exactly, etching was also becoming a prominent art form during the second half of the 19th century, and gave a certain accessibility to the art. These prints circulated widely through society. "Woman at Spinning Wheel" therefore offers both the theme and the medium being particularly reflective of artistic interests in society at the time. Editor: I like to think there’s also something inherently artistic about capturing and transforming such simple moments, and preserving them with such delicacy using aged paper. You know it invites a bit of sentimentality, and gives such quiet a stage to be present on. Curator: Precisely, art provides the viewer that sense of nostalgia for such times and scenes and reminds the viewer to value their work. Editor: It certainly does, and gives us space to reflect on this very domestic artistry and diligence as we wander through a museum today.