Staand meisje met een mand in de hand 1790 - 1852

This is a drawing titled "Standing Girl with a Basket in Hand" by Pieter Christoffel Wonder, made with graphite and heightened with white. The drawing is dominated by the figure of a young girl, centrally positioned, who carries a basket, and fills almost the entire vertical space of the composition. Wonder uses subtle tonal variations to model the form of the girl, giving weight and presence to her figure. The lines, rendered with precise strokes, define the contours of her simple dress and the intricate weave of the basket she carries. The girl’s posture, with her head tilted slightly downward, introduces a psychological element, inviting us to consider her inner state. The drawing employs a semiotic system where the girl represents youth, and the basket is a signifier of labour or sustenance. The artwork destabilizes the traditional idealized representation of children, presenting them as active participants in the everyday. The effect of this seemingly straightforward portrait is profound. It allows us to contemplate the structural elements of representation and the cultural codes that shape our perceptions, reminding us that art is not just about what we see, but how we interpret what is shown.