Zittende halfnaakte vrouw met een vlinder 1823 - 1882

Friedrich Weber created this print of a half-naked woman with a butterfly sometime in the 19th century. During this period, the representation of women in art was deeply influenced by prevailing social norms and patriarchal structures. The woman's demure pose and partial nudity align with the era’s objectification of the female form as something to be passively consumed by the male gaze. However, the butterfly introduces a layer of complexity. Butterflies often symbolize transformation and freedom, and in this context, one could see it as an allusion to the woman’s internal life, her dreams, or perhaps a yearning for liberation from societal constraints. The historical context is critical here. Were women of the time able to see themselves as subjects capable of transformation? This image invites a discussion about the conflicting roles assigned to women: object of beauty versus individual with her own desires.