Staande vrouw met waaier 1877

Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart created this print of a standing woman with a fan using etching. The eye is immediately drawn to the woman’s attire, rendered with a flurry of detailed lines that define the folds and textures of her gown. Note how the etcher’s line varies in thickness and direction to create a sense of volume and depth, bringing a tactile quality to a two-dimensional surface. This is a study in contrasts, between the lightness of the fan obscuring part of the face and the dense detailing of the dress. The fan acts as a semiotic device, concealing and revealing at once, creating a barrier that prompts questions about identity and representation. It engages with ideas of the gaze and the power dynamics inherent in portraiture, challenging the viewer’s access to the subject's true self. Jacquemart's careful orchestration of line and shadow transforms a simple portrait into an exploration of concealment, identity, and the act of seeing. It serves not merely as an aesthetic choice but as a means of complicating our understanding.