Oude vrouw met een fles en een glas 1673 - 1715

Editor: This is *Oude vrouw met een fles en een glas*, or *Old Woman with a Bottle and a Glass*, a print, likely an etching, made sometime between 1673 and 1715 by Nicolaes van Haeften. The level of detail is really striking; the artist captured so much texture, from the woman’s wrinkled skin to the rough surface of the bottle. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Well, placing it in the context of the Dutch Golden Age, we see a fascinating example of genre painting meeting portraiture. The focus on everyday life and ordinary people, hallmarks of the era, is evident, but there’s also a clear commentary, isn’t there? Haeften is showing us, quite frankly, a somewhat unflattering view of aging. What’s the prevailing attitude toward aging that emerges here, and what could it tell us about the societal views of the elderly? Editor: I see what you mean. The wrinkles, the slightly sagging skin – they aren't idealized at all. Do you think it's a critique, or simply a reflection of reality? Curator: That’s the question, isn’t it? Perhaps it's both. These genre scenes were very popular with the burgeoning middle class who used such works to contemplate their social identity, particularly regarding labor and status. So consider, how would displaying an etching like this affect a family's sense of its social position in relation to older, perhaps less productive, members? Editor: That gives me a different perspective. I had originally just thought about it as a straightforward, if unflattering, portrait. But it is about so much more. Curator: Indeed! The public role of this work resided in its reflection on social standing and morality. This has certainly provided me with some further avenues to explore regarding its commission and subsequent reception. Thank you.