Gezelschap op een terras 1877 - 1890

Jan Mesker created this print titled 'Gezelschap op een terras' using etching. Mesker lived during a time of significant social change and industrial growth, which informed the development of a distinct bourgeois culture. The print depicts an outdoor gathering, likely of middle-class individuals, enjoying leisure time on a terrace. How do gender roles play out here? Women are depicted in elaborate dresses and hats, while men are seen in more subdued attire, observing. These visual cues speak to the gendered expectations of the time, where women were often associated with display and men with control and observation. The terrace, as a space for social interaction, underscores the importance of community and public life in shaping individual identities. Mesker's work offers a glimpse into the social dynamics and cultural values of the time. The delicate lines of the etching capture a moment of communal enjoyment, reflecting the nuances of identity and interaction within the social landscape.