Twee portretten van een onbekend meisje van de Lepcha before 1886

These two portraits of a Lepcha girl are studies by Paolo Mantegazza, captured in a photograph. The girl’s gaze holds a certain gravity, a quiet intensity. Consider the very act of portraiture, prevalent across cultures from ancient Roman busts to Renaissance paintings; it is an attempt to capture not just a likeness, but the essence of an individual, freezing a moment in time for eternity. Here, the averted eyes of the upper portrait remind one of ancient depictions of modesty and virtue, subtly yet powerfully conveying a certain emotional state. The girl’s visage is framed by a circular border, echoing the Renaissance ‘tondo’, a format that lends a sense of completion and unity. This framing is not merely aesthetic; it focuses our attention on the individual, inviting contemplation. It reappears across centuries in Byzantine icons, underscoring the enduring human desire to immortalize our existence. Her image becomes a vessel, carrying within it echoes of countless others who have stood before the artist's lens.