Borstbeeld van een vrouw met lorgnet aan een snoer om de hals 1843 - 1898

Felicien Rops created this intriguing portrait of a woman with charcoal and black crayon. Rops was a Belgian artist, known for his association with the Decadent movement. The woman's weary gaze and the lorgnette hanging around her neck hint at a life of observation, perhaps a commentary on the societal roles available to women of the time. The lorgnette itself, more a fashion statement than functional eyewear, suggests a performance of seeing. In a society that often confined women to the domestic sphere, Rops’ woman seems to challenge traditional representations. Her subtle defiance resonates even now, inviting us to reflect on the gazes we inhabit and the narratives they construct.