Woman with Wine Glass c. 1656 - 1657

Gerard ter Borch painted 'Woman with Wine Glass' without a known date, and now it resides in the Städel Museum. Here, the wine glass is not merely a drinking vessel, but a symbol of worldly indulgence. It speaks to a tradition of representing moral choices through iconography. Consider how similar objects appear in medieval allegories, where goblets might signify temptation or fleeting pleasures. Note the woman’s contemplative pose; it echoes images of sibyls or muses from antiquity. Observe how the gesture, the way she holds the glass, resurfaces across centuries in portraits of women in both sacred and secular contexts. This visual motif appears time and again, transformed each time yet still rooted in our collective memory. It evokes a sense of introspection, perhaps warning viewers to consider the consequences of pleasure. Symbols are not static but evolve, reflecting the changing values and fears of society. By observing these enduring motifs, we gain insight into the continuous dialogue between past and present.