Bruid kijkt in een spiegel 1852 - 1858

This is Ferdinand Drier's 'Bride Looking in a Mirror', a stereoscopic card with dimensions height 86 mm, width 170 mm. The composition is cleverly structured around the interplay between the bride and her reflection. The eye is drawn to the voluminous veil, a dominant white form that obscures yet reveals. This interplay of concealment and revelation destabilizes the conventional symbolism of the bride, inviting questions about visibility, identity, and representation. The mirror itself functions as a semiotic device, framing the bride's gaze back at herself, creating a mise-en-abyme that complicates the notion of a singular, authentic self. It prompts a dialogue between interiority and exteriority, where the bride's identity is refracted through the lens of societal expectations. The delicate coloring and the tactile quality of the print enhance the sense of intimacy, suggesting a complex negotiation between tradition, self-awareness, and the gaze.