A study of a portrait of a girl 

Jozef Hanula sketched this portrait of a girl in 1882. Her gaze is cast slightly off to the side, perhaps lost in thought. The pendant she wears draws the eye, a simple oval, that might suggest the ancient Roman custom of wearing bullas. These were lockets given to children, intended to ward off evil spirits. This protective amulet resonates through time. Consider, for example, the countless portraits across centuries where subjects prominently display jewelry. Such adornments are not mere decoration. They are talismans, embodying hopes, prayers, and a deep-seated human desire for security. In Hanula’s sketch, the girl’s pendant evokes the profound connection between material objects and psychological well-being. These symbols echo through generations, representing our primal need for protection and connection to the past.