Staand vrouwelijk naakt met stok 1865 - 1930

This drawing of a standing nude woman with a stick, rendered by Jac van Looij, presents us with a figure that transcends mere portraiture. The staff she leans upon isn't just a prop; it's a symbol deeply rooted in the human psyche. Consider the ancient Greek depictions of Hermes, the messenger god, whose caduceus, a staff intertwined with snakes, represents power and negotiation. Similarly, in the hands of van Looij’s nude, the staff becomes an emblem of strength, authority, and perhaps even vulnerability. This echoes through time, reminiscent of classical statues where such objects signified dominion. The gesture, the way she holds the stick above her head, brings to mind images of supplicants in religious art throughout history. The symbol evolves, transforming from a source of power to an expression of supplication, demonstrating how collective memory and subconscious processes can imbue a single motif with a multitude of shifting, evolving meanings.