Meisje speelt poppenziekenhuis c. 1890 - 1930

This ink drawing, "Meisje speelt poppenziekenhuis" by Totie, presents a scene rendered with delicate lines and minimal shading. The eye is drawn to the figure of a young girl, kneeling before a doll's bed, the focal point of her imaginative play. The composition is structured around the interplay of rectangular forms – the beds, boxes, and furniture – which create a sense of contained space. The sign reading 'Today the hospital is opened', suggests a constructed reality, a world of make-believe where the boundaries of childhood and adult roles blur. This artwork, with its carefully arranged elements and subdued palette, invites us to consider the ways in which children construct meaning and assert control through their play. It makes one reflect on the fundamental structures that underlie our perception of reality, where the simple act of arranging dolls becomes a profound exploration of order and representation.