Titelpagina voor: E. M. Post, 'Voor Eenzaamen', 1789 1789

Reinier Vinkeles created this title page in 1789 for E.M. Post’s book ‘For the Lonely’ during a time of great social upheaval, just before the French Revolution. We see a woman in quiet contemplation, reading by candlelight. She is surrounded by the accoutrements of a comfortable, bourgeois life: a well-stocked bookshelf, a warm fireplace, a covered table. But she is alone, lost in thought. Is she lonely by choice, finding solace in the world of books? Or is her solitude imposed upon her? In the late 18th century, women’s roles were largely confined to the domestic sphere. Intellectual pursuits were often seen as the domain of men. Here, Vinkeles depicts a woman engaged in reading, suggesting perhaps a quiet rebellion, a claiming of intellectual space. The image evokes a sense of introspection and the complex emotional landscape of women in that period.