Lezend meisje (op de rug gezien) 1886

Willem de Zwart’s etching portrays a girl absorbed in reading, an intimate scene created at a time of increasing literacy and shifting societal roles. De Zwart was active during a period of significant social change, particularly in discussions around education and the roles of women. The girl, seen from behind, is hunched over a book, her posture suggesting a deep engagement with the text. This image departs from traditional depictions of women as passive subjects. Instead, the focus here is on her intellectual engagement and interior world. Is she finding refuge in the pages, or is she seeking a means of understanding the world around her? The loose clothing and the bare feet suggest an unposed, private moment. The choice to obscure her face invites us to project our own experiences of reading onto her. De Zwart subtly challenges the traditional narratives around women's roles, portraying her as an individual with her own thoughts, desires, and stories, all unlocked through the power of reading.