Rückenansicht einer lagernden Frau 

Philipp Rumpf made this study of a seated woman in Germany with graphite on paper. She may be resting, but the woman is more likely posing for the artist. The image is interesting for what it tells us about the social position of women in the mid-19th century. During that time, women in Germany were largely confined to the domestic sphere, and their representation in art often reinforced this role. Rumpf's sketch may be read as a commentary on the limited opportunities available to women at the time. The woman is shown in a passive pose, with her back to the viewer, which could symbolize her lack of agency and voice in society. To fully understand the social and institutional context of this image, we might want to investigate the education and training available to female artists at the time, or we could research the popularity of images of women in domestic settings.