Rokende vrouw in een fauteuil 1896

This is a drawing by George Hendrik Breitner, sketched with ink on paper, depicting a woman smoking in a chair. Consider the smoke, an ethereal motif. From ancient sacrificial rituals, where smoke carried prayers to the heavens, to the domestic hearth, smoke symbolizes transformation and the ephemeral nature of life. We see echoes of this in depictions of incense in religious paintings and the swirling vapors in Romantic landscapes. The act of smoking itself, introduced to Europe during the Renaissance, carries connotations of leisure, contemplation, and even rebellion. Think of Dutch Golden Age paintings where prosperous merchants are depicted smoking pipes, signaling their worldly status and engagement with global trade. The woman's posture, relaxed yet introspective, engages us with the profound human act of pausing to reflect. This recurring symbolism reminds us that our collective memory, our shared cultural psyche, influences the production and interpretation of art. The symbols Breitner employs are not static; they evolve, resurface, and take on new meanings in response to the shifting currents of history.