Stained Glass Martina Kramers - Dutch Suffragette
Martina Kramers, Dutch Suffragette (1863 – 1934)
Martina Kramers joined the Dutch women’s suffrage movement (Vereeniging voor Vrouwenkiesrecht) in 1894. She played an active role in organising the National Exhibition on Women’s Labor in 1889, joined the International Council of Women in 1899 and served as secretary of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) for five years from 1906. The IWSA published a monthly journal (Jus Suffragii – the Right of Suffrage) and Martina was its first editor. She was a polyglot and translated articles submitted in many languages. She was asked to stand down in 1913 because of a relationship with a married man, although the real reason may have been because of her political views; she had joined the Social Democratic Worker’s Party in 1911.
Martina was part of the Dutch Neo-Malthusian movement. Pure Malthusianism posits that if left unchecked, population growth will continue until it outstrips food production which will trigger either famine or war, resulting in poverty, inequality and finally societal collapse and depopulation. Darwin’s theory of evolution was said to have been influenced by Malthusian writings, but as the 19th century progressed it fell out of favour.
Neo-malthusianism says instead that available resources can be balanced with population numbers through planning. They suggested that resource depletion is a result of overpopulation combined with overconsumption. The originator of Malthusianism was a staunch Christian and advocated abstinence (‘self control’) but neo-Malthusianism generally supports birth control as a way to manage population numbers. The first birth control clinic in Amsterdam was opened in 1882 by Aletta Jacobs, Europe’s first ‘modern woman physican’ and the first woman in the Netherlands to study medicine in 1871. Prior to that, women were not admitted to Universities.
Aletta tried to vote in 1883 was prevented from doing so and in 1887 the Constitution was amended to say only men were allowed to vote. Aletta became part of the suffrage movement, with women such as Wilhemina Drucker who campaigned for equality in work, education and general rights. Women gained full voting rights in the Netherlands in 1919. Martina Kramers promoted birth control and public education about birth control, and her writing was included in the Birth Control Review which was first published by Margaret Sanger while in prison for illegal distribution of contraceptives. Suffrage wasn’t just about the right to vote, but about a much wider range of rights for women around education and independence/ She once argued for substitute military service for women so they would be able to vote.
This is a hand drawn stained glass portrait based on a photograph of Martina Kramers. It uses the suffragette colours of purple, green and white. The source photograph is black and white but I think she may have approved of my choice of wispy purple for the hair. The hammered iridescent glass surrounding the figure sparkles in sunlight. It’s made using the copper foil technique, where every piece of glass is wrapped in copper before being soldered together. It’s framed in a hand-made zinc frame with a hanging chain.
This adds to my stained women collection. Take a look at Who was Emmeline Pankhurst and why was she important? and Deeds not words, one of my first suffragette pictures.
This hanging would be a fantastic gift for a principled woman – a special birthday or celebration gift.
The price is £125 including free UK postage. For overseas shipping options, please get in touch to discuss.
