Twee vrouwen c. 1670 - 1706

This anonymous print, entitled 'Two Women,' was made in the Netherlands. Although undated, the names listed on the print suggest that it was made in the 17th Century. Prints like this were often collected in albums for their aesthetic qualities. Yet, in this print we may also see the emergence of a new kind of social type: the working woman. The woman on the right has her sleeves and skirts rolled up, as if she is about to begin some form of labor. Meanwhile, the other woman wears a large hat, perhaps to protect her from the sun while working outside. It is easy to overlook the socio-economic conditions that made art production possible. As an art historian, my task is to uncover the social context, bringing to bear resources such as census data and economic records to better understand the lives of artists and their subjects. Art does not exist in a vacuum; it is always contingent on the world around it.