Oude vrouw met een tas in de hand 1876 - 1910

Editor: Here we have "Oude vrouw met een tas in de hand", or "Old Woman with a Bag in Her Hand" by Alphonse Stengelin, made sometime between 1876 and 1910. It's a pencil drawing that presents a simple, almost austere image. I'm curious, what narrative do you see in this work, considering its historical context? Curator: This drawing invites us to consider the everyday lives of ordinary people and to question whose stories are deemed worthy of representation. During this period, the rise of realism in art sought to depict the world as it was, but often still overlooked the experiences of women, particularly older women, and those from lower social strata. Editor: So you are saying it's about more than just the image, that there's also an undercurrent of social commentary? Curator: Absolutely. The woman's clothing, the bag she carries, her posture – these details offer a glimpse into her life, her daily routines, and potentially her struggles. It encourages us to think about the representation of aging, gender, and class in art, and who gets to tell these stories. What do you make of the inclusion of the goose? Editor: It seems random... almost humorous. Curator: Or perhaps a symbolic counterpoint, something like an acknowledgement of women's role raising animals, maybe their lack of options. It certainly adds an element of the unexpected, forcing us to consider what’s included and what’s been deliberately left out. Stengelin may also be drawing our attention to how social identity impacts representation, specifically of older women. Editor: I didn't initially consider the social dimensions of this genre scene. It's thought-provoking to consider whose stories are told and whose are silenced. Curator: Exactly! It's these silences that we, as viewers and interpreters, must actively try to address. Art is powerful because it makes us aware and helps make a call for representation and to take a critical lens.