Meisjeskop in profiel naar rechts 18th century

This print, made by an anonymous artist, depicts a girl's head in profile facing right. The image presents us with a visual puzzle that invites us to reflect on the cultural norms of beauty. What are we to make of the woman’s shaved head and elaborate wig? The portrait is framed in an oval, a visual trope that was typically used to monumentalize the sitter and mark them out as a person of some importance. It seems that the portrait's focus is on the subject’s unusual hairstyle. Without further historical information about the woman, the artist, and the society in which they lived, it’s impossible to know what to make of the image for certain. Art historical research relies on this kind of archival work, including close attention to costume, the history of fashion, and the political meanings of dress. These research resources are crucial to our understanding of the social and institutional contexts in which this work was made.