There are some really striking paintings of it! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Market_and_Washing_Place https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Market_and

There are some really striking paintings of it! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Market_and_Washing_Place https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Market_and_Washing_Pla... Though I think this is possibly a depiction of a step in linen production, rather than the maintenance of used linen. But anyway yeah it used to be a normal part of life people were used to seeing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleachfield https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleachfield