Kop van een vrouw met een krullende pony 1865 - 1913

This is Bramine Hubrecht's sketch, "Head of a Woman with a Curly Fringe", housed at the Rijksmuseum. Hubrecht, born in 1855, lived in a time when women artists were gaining more recognition, yet still faced considerable barriers. The intimate nature of this sketch, with its close focus on the woman’s face, invites a personal connection. It represents a move away from the formal, often idealized portraits of women common in earlier eras. Consider how Hubrecht, as a woman artist, might have perceived her female subjects differently. The woman’s gaze is direct, almost challenging. There’s a sense of individuality in her features, a departure from the more generic representations of women. This could be seen as Hubrecht asserting a more authentic, perhaps feminist, perspective on female identity. The sketch captures a fleeting moment, a sense of vulnerability, and strength. It reflects the changing role of women in society, and the subtle ways artists like Hubrecht contributed to that shift.