Herfst 1811 - 1867

Julien-Léopold Boilly created this monochrome artwork titled 'Herfst'. The artwork depicts a woman in a flowing white dress floating, her body tilted and an arm raised holding grapes. Her garb signifies femininity, but it also places her in a classical context, reminiscent of Greek goddesses. The work invites a dialogue between classicism and the changing roles of women in a post-revolutionary France. How does the artwork reflect or challenge the cultural ideals of femininity and nature? In her raised arm holding grapes, she appears to be an allegorical figure, similar to those used in propaganda. She is not merely a passive, decorative muse, but actively embodies a season, a force of nature. This tension between traditional representation and alternative narratives encourages us to reflect on how women's identities were both constrained and reimagined during this period in French history.