Heer strikt de schoen van een dame before 1653

Gesina ter Borch created this watercolor drawing, "A man tying a lady's shoe", using traditional materials of paper, pigment, and brush. The visible texture of the paper and the delicate washes of color give the scene an intimate, immediate feel. The act of tying a shoe may seem a mundane subject, yet in ter Borch's hands, it becomes a study of social relations. This image represents the labor and class distinctions inherent in Dutch society, a gentleman kneeling before a lady to perform a task that underscores their relative positions. The drawing, though modest in scale, speaks to the social rituals and power dynamics of the time. By focusing on this everyday activity, ter Borch elevates the ordinary to the level of art, challenging traditional hierarchies of subject matter and reminding us that even the simplest actions can reveal complex social narratives.