Photographic Study 1860 - 1865

Here, Clementina Hawarden captures a moment of contemplation in a photographic study. The dominant symbol is the window, a motif pregnant with meaning. It represents not just an opening to the outside, but a division, a barrier between the internal world and external reality. The gesture of pressing against the glass echoes across centuries, from Renaissance depictions of imprisoned saints gazing longingly at the heavens to Romantic poets yearning for the sublime. This act embodies a deep, subconscious desire for transcendence, for escape from the confines of the self. Think of Caspar David Friedrich's figures silhouetted against vast landscapes, embodying a similar longing. The window, like the Rückenfigur, serves as a mirror, reflecting our own hopes and fears, inviting us to project our inner lives onto the world beyond. It is a potent symbol of introspection, a recurring theme in art history, continuously evolving, yet forever tethered to the human condition.