Vrouw met haar eerste kind in een bed 1830 - 1837

This print, titled ‘Vrouw met haar eerste kind in een bed’ (Woman with her first child in a bed), was made by the French school, by the printmaker Mayer. It presents us with a tender, yet complex scene of new motherhood. The image captures a domestic moment, a tableau of the private sphere during a time when gender roles were rigidly defined. The new mother, surrounded by attendants, is the focus of attention. The artist offers us an intimate view into the life of a woman, while also reinforcing the societal expectations placed upon her. We are drawn into the emotional landscape of this intimate gathering. What does it mean for a woman to be defined primarily by her role as a mother? What joys and burdens accompany this transformation in identity? By engaging with these questions, the print invites us to reflect on the historical and cultural constructs that shape our understanding of womanhood.