Plaat met vrouwenfiguur in basreliëf 1888

This is a bas-relief plaque featuring a woman, crafted by De Porceleijne Fles. The piece is striking for its vertical composition and limited palette of soft yellows and browns. The artist uses subtle variations in relief to sculpt the figure and surrounding ornamentation, creating a shallow depth of field that flattens the space. The careful arrangement of forms invites a semiotic interpretation. The woman is depicted as a classical figure and the inscription "Aeterna Juventas," eternal youth, positions her within a discourse of idealized beauty and timelessness. The visual elements—such as the lily she holds, which is a symbol for purity—work in concert with the inscription to construct a narrative around the themes of youth, beauty and idealization. The artwork's strength lies in its subtle manipulation of form and texture, highlighting how the artist uses minimal means to create a complex interplay of meaning. This plaque serves as an interesting example of how classical motifs can be reinterpreted within a contemporary artistic framework.