Ontwaken uit een droom 1778 - 1785

Noach van der Meer the Younger created this print called, "Awakening from a Dream" in the Netherlands, likely in the late 18th century. It encapsulates the anxieties and shifting social mores of its time. The image presents a scene of domestic intimacy, yet also hints at transgression. A woman is depicted waking a man in bed, her presence suggesting a relationship outside the bounds of traditional marriage. In the Dutch Republic, where social structures were closely tied to religious morality, such a depiction would have been fraught with implications. The setting, a modestly furnished room, speaks to the economic realities of the time, while the disarray—the discarded clothes—adds to the sense of a private world disrupted. Prints like these offer a glimpse into the negotiation of social norms and individual desires. To fully understand this print, scholars consult period literature, social histories, and records of artistic production. These provide invaluable context for interpreting the artwork's subtle yet powerful commentary on the social structures of its time.