Soldaat met koekenverkoopster 1800 - 1841

Joannes Bemme made this print called ‘Soldier with cake vendor’, probably in the Netherlands, sometime around the turn of the 19th century. It depicts a soldier in full military dress, pointing at the wares of a woman selling cakes, or possibly small pies, from a basket. The print gives us an intriguing glimpse into the everyday lives of ordinary people in this period. The uniforms and weapons remind us that this was a time of war and revolution in Europe, but the interaction between the soldier and the vendor suggests a degree of normalcy in Dutch society. It's interesting to consider the social and economic context of this image. What does it tell us about the role of women in Dutch society at this time? What does it suggest about the relationship between the military and the civilian population? To gain a better understanding of this print, we might consult military records or conduct research into Dutch street life and commerce during the period. Art gives us access to the past, but we need to contextualize it with wider historical evidence.