Portret van een onbekende vrouw, zittend aan tafel 1875 - 1881

This is a portrait of an unknown woman, captured in a photograph by Christian Theodor Kirch. The bow tied at her neck, a seemingly simple adornment, speaks volumes. Consider the bow's journey through art history: from ancient Rome, where knots symbolized commitment and connection, to the Renaissance, where elaborate bows signified status and refinement. The bow, a ubiquitous symbol of unity and closure, also carries with it the weight of societal expectations and constraints. As we see it here, tied at the neck, might it represent the binding forces of social norms, subtly influencing the sitter's posture and expression? The act of binding, of creating knots and ties, resonates deeply within the human psyche. It stirs subconscious associations with union, obligation, and even restriction. The bow, like the threads of fate woven by the Fates, suggests a narrative, a story waiting to be unraveled.