Drinkende man op de schoot van een vrouw 1680 - 1780

This is an anonymous print, "Drinkende man op de schoot van een vrouw," held at the Rijksmuseum. The etching captures a scene of intimate revelry, a man raising a glass atop a woman's lap, a dog nuzzling nearby. Without an artist’s name, the narrative shifts, urging us to consider the broader social scripts that shape our understanding of such imagery. What does it mean to witness this scene, frozen in time? The woman's ambiguous expression invites questions about her role and agency within this tableau. Is she a willing participant in the toast or a figure trapped within the frame of someone else's enjoyment? The lack of specific detail about the figures allows for introspection on the emotional undercurrents of such moments. What is captured here is not just a scene of drinking but perhaps a commentary on the power dynamics inherent in intimate settings. It leaves us to ponder the unnamed stories and unspoken tensions that simmer beneath the surface of everyday life.