Bezigheden 1848 - 1881

Lutkie & Cranenburg created this print, "Bezigheden," using an engraving technique. Its organization into twelve distinct scenes provides a glimpse into 19th-century Dutch rural life. Each scene, accompanied by rhyming text, creates a narrative snapshot. Men are at work, attending to livestock, transporting goods, and hunting. Women are notably absent, confined to domestic roles only shown in the background or in implied narrative. This absence speaks volumes about the gendered division of labor and societal expectations of the time. The artwork offers a vision of Dutch identity rooted in rural labor, emphasizing values of hard work and community. The emotional impact lies in its bittersweet representation of a way of life, now idealized through the lens of history. "Bezigheden" maintains traditional representations while subtly revealing the societal structures that shape the identities and experiences of its subjects.