Vrouw in een bos met takken en een hoed in haar handen before 1894

This photograph by Mary Bartlett depicts a woman in a forest, holding branches and a hat. The forest—a recurring motif in art and folklore—symbolizes a space of transformation, where the known world blurs into the subconscious. Here, the woman embodies a sense of connection with nature. Her presence echoes the ancient archetype of the nymph or dryad, beings deeply intertwined with the life force of the natural world. Consider Botticelli's Venus, similarly emerging from nature, reborn and embodying earthly love. The butterfly motifs adorning the image introduce another layer of meaning, symbolizing metamorphosis and the soul's journey. This symbol has ancient roots, seen in classical art as Psyche, the soul, represented with butterfly wings. This motif reappears through history to represent the fleeting nature of life, reminding us of the cyclical dance of nature and the enduring power of symbols to speak to our collective memory.