Vrouw uit de Zweeds provincie Dalarnas län Possibly 1874 - 1878

This is Felicien Rops’ drypoint print, Vrouw uit de Zweeds provincie Dalarnas län, held at the Rijksmuseum. The composition centres on a half-length portrait of a woman, her hands clasped demurely before her, rendered with meticulous detail through the fine lines of drypoint. The textures in the print—from the tight knitting of her hat to the loose weave of her overshirt—are highly emphasized. Notice the contrast between the woman’s face, which is more smoothly rendered, and the textures of her clothing. The image is structured by layers of fabric with horizontal emphasis. The arrangement draws attention to the cultural codes inscribed in the fabric, as indicators of identity and social role. Through his precise technique, Rops highlights the materiality of clothing, transforming it into a semiotic device that communicates cultural values. The graphic qualities of the print—the emphasis on line and the stark contrast between light and shadow—speak to the print’s engagement with broader questions of representation. The artist’s signature can be seen to the upper right side. The print is not merely a depiction of a woman but an exploration of how we perceive and interpret cultural identity through visual cues.