Naakte vrouw met spiegel en weegschaal 1915

Bernard Willem Wierink made this small artwork, *Naked woman with mirror and scales*, using I think a printmaking process. It's got these gentle earth tones. I wonder what he was thinking when he made this. Maybe he was inspired by art nouveau with its flowing lines. I see how he uses line to create this dreamy effect, particularly in the woman's hair and the sort of architectural details around her. The lines are thin but they create a sense of movement. The surface is pretty flat, which is typical for a print, I guess, but you still get a sense of depth. There's this interesting motif of balance and judgment – with the mirror in one hand, scales in the other. It's like the figure is contemplating something. All that is happening against a backdrop of nature. It makes me think about other artists who were exploring similar themes at that time. Artists are always responding to what came before, adding their own twist!