Portret van een staand meisje met strik 1880 - 1920

This photograph, created by Onnes Kurkdjian, captures a young girl adorned with a bow. The bow, innocent as it seems, is an interesting motif. We see bows used across history, from ancient Roman hairstyles denoting status to the ribbons that bind medieval manuscripts, preserving knowledge. Consider, for instance, the recurring image of Cupid, often depicted blindfolded, his arrows tied with silken bows, symbolizing love's capricious nature. The bow here, atop the girl's head, perhaps speaks to innocence, but it also hints at the ties that bind us to societal expectations. In the subconscious, tying a bow might reveal the binding nature of familial bonds, or even a sense of being constrained. The evolution of the bow mirrors our own changing perceptions of childhood and femininity. It is not a linear progression, but a cyclical return and reinterpretation, ever adapting, ever present.