Head of a Young Woman with Hair Braided on Top of her Head c. 1831

Editor: Here we have Washington Allston's "Head of a Young Woman with Hair Braided on Top of her Head." It's a delicate drawing, almost ghostly. What do you see in this portrait? Curator: Notice the headdress, or rather the suggestion of one. It's a void, a mass of shadow, yet it crowns her. What memories or aspirations might that symbolize for you? Editor: Perhaps a lost culture or an aspiration for higher knowledge? Curator: Precisely! Allston often used symbolic portraiture to explore Romantic ideals and individual psychology. That rough sketch may imply a mental space, yet to be filled. Editor: That's insightful, making the sketch feel more complete. Curator: Indeed, it speaks volumes about the subject, and about Allston's own artistic inquiries.