Jongeman en vrouw bieden oude man een mantel aan 1857 - 1914

Nikolay Semyonovich Mosolov created this etching "Young Man and Woman Offer an Old Man a Coat," sometime in the late 19th century in Russia. During this period, Russian art often explored themes of social realism and moral narratives. The print depicts a scene of generosity, where youth assists the elderly. Through the figures of a young man and woman offering an old man a coat we get a sense of what Mosolov thought about the dynamic of class and gender in Russian society. Notice how the act transcends mere charity, suggesting a deeper, perhaps spiritual, connection between generations and social classes. In a society undergoing rapid modernization and facing stark inequalities, Mosolov’s work seems to ask: What does it mean to care for each other? How can individual acts of kindness reflect on broader societal values? What place do women have in this societal interaction? The emotional weight of the print lies not just in its visual narrative, but in its invitation to contemplate the roles we play in each other's lives.