Staande naakte vrouw die haar linkerhand onder haar borst houdt 1869 - 1925

This is Antoon Derkinderen's pencil drawing, "Standing nude woman holding her left hand under her breast", from the late 19th to early 20th century. At first glance, it may seem like just another academic study of the nude. But consider the period. It was a time when women's bodies were intensely policed and medicalized. Representations of the female body were frequently used to enforce societal norms, often denying women agency over their own forms. There is a vulnerability in this sketch. The woman's pose is neither overtly sexualized nor traditionally idealized. It is a figure caught in a moment of introspection, a subversion of the male gaze that typically dominated such works. This challenges conventional narratives by presenting a woman who appears to be in contemplation, rather than on display. It invites us to consider the subject's inner life, her thoughts, and experiences beyond mere physical form.