Fotoreproductie van (vermoedelijk) een schilderij van een huiselijk tafereel met kinderen c. 1853 - 1869

This is a photographic reproduction of a painting, likely made in the Netherlands, during the mid-19th century. The scene depicts a domestic interior filled with people of several generations. Paintings such as these served a vital social function. They were meant to show the value of family in a rapidly industrializing world. The presence of a spinning wheel in the left foreground alongside the image of a large family is no accident. It suggests that the artist was working to depict a very clear message about the value of tradition. Whether Wotke was conservative or progressive in his own beliefs is a matter we can only speculate on. But his imagery seems to suggest a yearning for the past. As historians, we look at paintings like this as evidence. By digging through archives, newspapers, and other records, we can learn about the values people held and the lives they led.