Meisje geeft een kus op de wang van een meisje gezeten in een hoge stoel 1869

Albrecht de Vriendt created this etching, "Girl Kissing a Girl on the Cheek, Seated in a High Chair," capturing a tender moment frozen in time. De Vriendt, who lived from 1843 to 1900, painted in a very turbulent and transitional period. Here, we see the intimacy between two young girls depicted within the confines of domesticity, a common trope in 19th-century art. But what are we to make of this seemingly innocent scene? It raises questions about the representation of female affection during a time when societal norms were deeply entrenched in patriarchal values. Does this image merely reflect a chaste bond of sisterhood, or does it hint at something more subversive? By choosing to portray this moment, de Vriendt subtly challenges the conventional narratives of gender and desire. The simplicity of the scene belies its subversive potential, inviting us to contemplate the complexities of female relationships.