Fotoreproductie van een tekening van een jonge verloofde vrouw door Johannes Christiaan d'Arnaud Gerkens before 1863

This is a photogravure of a drawing by Johannes Christiaan d’Arnaud Gerkens, depicting a young betrothed woman, reproduced by Maria Hille. The image exists within a book opened to a lithograph poem. During the 19th century in the Netherlands, marriage was strongly linked to social status and economic stability. Looking closely, the woman's posture and clothing reflect the conventions of the time, where modesty and domesticity were highly valued. Yet, the image also exudes a sense of vulnerability; her downcast gaze and clasped hands hint at the emotional weight of her impending marriage. Hille, as a woman artist, navigated a male-dominated art world. The act of reproducing Gerkens’ drawing raises questions about authorship, originality, and the role of women in artistic production. Through her work, Hille challenges traditional notions of artistic genius, asserting her own presence in the art historical record. This reproduction provides an intimate glimpse into the lives and expectations of women in 19th-century Dutch society, as well as the women working at the time.