Vrouw stopt sokken zittend bij het raam 1865 - 1910

Editor: So, this etching by Edouard De Jans, "Vrouw stopt sokken zittend bij het raam", roughly translated to "Woman Darning Socks Sitting by the Window," made sometime between 1865 and 1910... there's a quiet intimacy to it. What catches your eye? Curator: It's interesting how De Jans portrays this scene of domesticity, isn't it? Considering the period, and the rise of Realism, it asks us to look closely at the lives of ordinary people, especially women. But is it merely a sentimental depiction, or does it participate in a larger socio-political dialogue? Editor: What do you mean by "socio-political dialogue"? Curator: Well, Realism was, in part, a reaction against the grand narratives and idealised depictions favored by the academy. By focusing on everyday life, artists like De Jans arguably elevated the importance of the working classes and women, who were often absent from mainstream art. It pushes back against expectations. Does this image affirm traditional roles or subvert them? Editor: I guess the focus on her labour makes it a bit of both. I do wonder, though, who was consuming such images? Were they bought and displayed primarily by middle-class audiences? Curator: Precisely! And how might their perspective have shaped the meaning they derived from the work? Were they admiring an industriousness that served their interests? Or perhaps it invited a degree of empathy? Editor: So it becomes more about the politics of looking than the simple act depicted. It gives you a lot to think about. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Thinking about the audience, who sees and interprets, really can change your appreciation.