Meisjeskop met neergeslagen blik 

Thérèse Schwartze created this subtle drawing titled 'Meisjeskop met neergeslagen blik' or 'Head of a Girl with Downcast Eyes' during a time when women artists were navigating the prevailing social expectations and gender norms of late 19th-century Europe. The girl's downcast gaze and simple attire invite contemplation on the representation of women in art. Schwartze, who achieved recognition as a portrait painter in Amsterdam, was from a family of artists and occupied a unique position, both constrained and empowered by her gender and class. The girl's posture evokes a sense of introspection, reflecting the limited roles often assigned to women in that era. However, the artwork also subtly defies the typical depiction of women as mere objects of beauty, suggesting an inner life. The sketch may remind us of the complex interplay between societal expectations and individual identity, a tension that resonates even today.