Hoofd van een vrouw 1841 - 1842

Guillaume Joseph Vertommen made this print, “Head of a Woman,” using etching. Consider the context of 19th-century Europe, where gender roles were heavily prescribed. Women were often confined to domestic roles, and their representation in art frequently idealized them as symbols of virtue or beauty. Vertommen’s depiction of this woman avoids such idealization. Her gaze is direct, perhaps even challenging, and there's an emotional depth that transcends mere aesthetics. The subtleties of identity are further complicated when we consider the historical norms of representation and spectatorship. The print invites us to consider the lives and experiences of women, as well as our own biases and expectations when viewing such images. It's a reminder that behind every portrait lies a complex individual with their own story to tell.