Jonge vrouw ontvangt een briefje van een koppelaarster 1670 - 1713

Pieter Schenk created this print, "Young Woman Receiving a Letter from a Matchmaker," capturing a scene ripe with the social dynamics of 17th-century Dutch society. The artwork depicts a young woman in a state of undress, receiving a note from an older woman, presumably a matchmaker. During this time, marriage was less about romantic love and more about social and economic alliances. The matchmaker held considerable power, influencing the lives and futures of young women. Schenk subtly critiques the objectification of women inherent in these transactions, emphasizing the loss of agency and the reduction of personal value to marital prospects. The young woman’s downcast gaze hints at the emotional weight of these societal expectations. Schenk uses the intimate setting to explore the tension between individual desires and social norms, highlighting the complexities of gender and power within the institution of marriage.