Drinkend paar c. 1652

“Drinkend paar,” or "Drinking Couple," is a pen and watercolor drawing by Gesina ter Borch. Ter Borch, who was working in the Netherlands in the mid-17th century, came from an artistic family that greatly influenced her work. While her male contemporaries were busy portraying the grand narratives of state and commerce, Ter Borch focused on the intimate and domestic. This piece, found within a sketchbook filled with writing and images, depicts a man and woman sharing a drink. The man raises a glass, seemingly in a toast, while the woman sits demurely beside him. What is so compelling here, is that Ter Borch turns the genre scene on its head by centering her own experience as a woman. Instead of a boisterous tavern, we find a quiet moment of shared intimacy. The delicate lines and soft colors evoke an atmosphere of tenderness and reflection, inviting us to contemplate the unspoken dynamics between the figures. In this way, "Drinking Couple" becomes a subtle yet powerful statement about the interior lives of women and the quiet revolutions that occur within the domestic sphere.