Frontispiece for Point de lendemain 1867

This is Felicien Rops' frontispiece for "Point de lendemain," a work made using etching. Rops was working in the late 19th century, a period marked by shifting social norms and burgeoning industrialization. The print presents a woman draped in fabric seated atop a chaotic swirl of figures and objects, caught between the pulls of the sacred and profane, represented by figures resembling angels and demons. Rops was part of the Symbolist movement, which sought to explore the darker, often repressed aspects of the human psyche. This piece encapsulates fin-de-siècle anxieties about morality, gender roles, and the perceived decadence of modern life. The artist challenges traditional representations of women, portraying them not as passive objects of beauty, but as complex figures embodying both allure and danger. The frontispiece acts as a mirror, reflecting the complex interplay between desire, morality, and the societal expectations that shape our understanding of identity. It invites us to confront the emotional and personal dimensions of these societal issues.