Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw 1850 - 1911

This is an etching by G. Laguesse portraying an unknown young woman, with an emphasis on her attire. A striking feature is the bow tied at her neck. The bow, a motif seemingly simple, carries a wealth of cultural baggage. From antiquity to modernity, the tying of knots and bows has symbolized bonds, promises, and unions. Consider the Hercules knot, a symbol of love and commitment, used since Roman times, or even the simple act of tying a ribbon as a token of remembrance. Here, in this portrait, the bow suggests a certain formality, perhaps a hint at social status, but also a binding, an unspoken agreement between the sitter and the viewer. This motif is cyclical, not linear, and continually resurfaces. The bow will return in new forms, each time adapted, each time slightly altered by the currents of history, yet forever tied to its origins.