Auf dem Balkon 1878

Anton Romako painted this oil on canvas titled "Auf dem Balkon," or "On the Balcony," sometime in the late 19th century. It depicts a woman on a balcony overlooking what appears to be Paris. The image is fascinating when considered in the context of social class. Balconies such as these were a relatively new phenomenon at the time, products of the rapidly modernizing urban landscape and the rise of a wealthy middle class. The woman's dress suggests she is a member of this class, and the balcony itself becomes a stage on which she can display her status. But is she looking out at the city, or is she looking in? The artist leaves us to wonder whether the subject is celebrating the modern possibilities available to her, or isolated despite them. Historical research into the architecture and social history of 19th-century Paris would help us better understand the significance of this image. It's through this combination of looking and research that art history can really come alive.