Appelschillende vrouw in keukeninterieur 1762

Editor: This engraving, “Appelschillende vrouw in keukeninterieur,” or "Woman peeling apples in a kitchen interior," was created in 1762 by Jean Daullé. It has a wonderfully serene feel, a calm domestic scene captured in fine lines. What's your interpretation of this seemingly simple piece? Curator: The engraving offers more than just a simple domestic scene; it’s a glimpse into the constructed realities of 18th-century gender roles and class dynamics. Note how the woman's labor, peeling apples, is framed within the domestic interior. We should ask: what does it mean to represent female labor in this way? Is it simply a neutral observation, or is it participating in a larger narrative about women's roles within the household? The presence of the dead animal can invite reflections on power relationships. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered. I was focused on the tranquil nature of the print and didn’t think too much about the setting itself as something actively constructing a gendered narrative. How would you connect it to current ideas? Curator: Thinking intersectionally, we can see how class and gender converge. This engraving could also invite reflection on the labor often invisibilized: domestic work performed by women, especially those in lower economic classes, frequently undervalued. The labor is gentle and almost ritualized here, raising the question of what's idealized and what's erased from the everyday lives of 18th-century women. It makes me consider feminist thinkers like Silvia Federici and her works on the gendered division of labor. Editor: Thank you! It’s amazing how much deeper one can delve into a work when considering its historical and social contexts. Curator: Absolutely! Engaging with art requires understanding it as part of the cultural fabric and an arena of constant social negotiations and political implications.