Portret van een onbekende vrouw 1775

Andreas Leonhard Moeglich created this portrait of an unknown woman. The most striking symbol is the feather adorning her hair, a motif of vanity and status. Throughout history, feathers have symbolized power, freedom, and spiritual connection. In ancient Egyptian iconography, they were associated with Ma'at, the goddess of truth and justice, whose feather was used to weigh the souls of the dead. The feather reappears in Renaissance portraits, often as a symbol of nobility and refinement, a marker of the sitter's elevated social standing. This emblem is not merely decorative; it reflects the subject's self-perception and her desire to be seen in a certain light. This echoes through time, as feathers, now in fashion, continue to trigger deep-seated associations with aspiration and transformation.