Hoofd van een jonge vrouw, en profil 1867 - 1890

Philip Zilcken made this etching called 'Head of a Young Woman, in Profile,' in the late 19th or early 20th century. Zilcken lived during a time of significant social change, including evolving views on women's roles and representation in art and society. The young woman's head, captured in profile, invites contemplation. The work prompts reflection on the gaze, in terms of who is looking and who is being looked at. In terms of the woman's identity, her head covering obscures conventional markers of identity, focusing the viewer on her face. The absence of explicit details encourages the viewer to project their own interpretations onto the portrait. Is she contemplative, melancholic, or perhaps simply lost in thought? The image's simplicity invites us to consider broader questions about representation, identity, and the silent dialogues that art initiates. Zilcken leaves us with a quiet, introspective piece that resonates beyond its time.