Twee figuren bij het ziekbed van een oude man 1783 - 1851

Willem van Senus made this print, "Two figures at the sickbed of an old man," in the Netherlands, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. The scene presents us with a dying man, comforted by two allegorical figures. On the left, a dark-skinned man, who may represent physical labour, supports him. On the right, a lighter-skinned woman with flowers in her hair, perhaps representing art, offers a gentle touch. A table beside the bed features objects associated with domesticity and religion. It's worth noting that Van Senus worked during a time of significant social and political upheaval in the Netherlands, with Enlightenment ideals challenging traditional hierarchies. This print, with its combination of the allegorical and the domestic, prompts us to consider the role of art in confronting mortality and the consolations it might offer. Understanding it requires a deep dive into the visual culture of the period. What are the politics of representing death in this way? How did contemporary viewers interpret these allegorical figures? These are some of the questions that art historians try to answer.