Moeder met slapend kind voor het raam 1756 - 1817

Louis Bernard Coclers made this etching, "Moeder met slapend kind voor het raam," or "Mother with sleeping child by the window" at the end of the 18th century. This domestic scene depicts a mother cradling her sleeping child, bathed in light from a nearby window. It encapsulates the intimate moments of everyday life. The artwork’s power lies in its ability to capture a universal human experience within a specific cultural context. Made during a time of shifting social values, it speaks to the changing perceptions of motherhood and domesticity. Unlike heroic or religious images, the cultural and historical contexts of the family interior and the mother’s place inside of it were being expressed. Historians can delve into sources like conduct books, diaries, and domestic manuals from this era to provide a more complete understanding of this imagery. Through this interdisciplinary research, we reveal the significance of this image. It becomes a potent commentary on gender roles, family values, and the evolving social norms of 18th-century Europe.