Woman Holding a Garland 1875 - 1885

Charles Edward Holloway created this etching called ‘Woman Holding a Garland.’ It evokes the visual language of allegorical representations, popular during the late 19th century. Consider this image in relation to the Victorian era, when ideals of womanhood were narrowly defined. This ethereal figure, adorned with a garland, challenges those strictures. She seems to hover between the earthly and divine. Holloway asks us to consider the multifaceted nature of female identity. The loose, flowing garments contrast with the period's restrictive corsetry, suggesting a sense of liberation. But does it really represent emancipation, or does it offer a symbolic gesture that ultimately confines the woman to an aestheticized, allegorical space? Holloway's work prompts us to reflect on the complexities of representing women. It makes us ask questions about who gets to define womanhood, and how those definitions are expressed through art.