Schenkkan met vrouwenhoofd op deksel 1657

Here we see "Schenkkan met vrouwenhoofd op deksel," or ewer with a woman's head on the lid, created by Françoise Bouzonnet in the late 17th century. Bouzonnet was a French printmaker working in a time when women artists had to navigate significant social barriers. The print depicts an ornate ewer, crowned with the head of a woman. It is neoclassical in style, a style which often evokes ideas of virtue and heroism. Yet, the presence of a female figure complicates these associations by drawing connections between domesticity and larger political ideals. Bouzonnet's choice to place a woman's head on the lid could be seen as a commentary on women's roles in society, literally placing a woman at the top. In a world dominated by male narratives, her work invites us to reflect on the power dynamics embedded in everyday objects. It asks us to consider whose stories are told and whose are left out.