Lucienne vid spegeln 

Nils Dardel captured this watercolor of Lucienne in front of a mirror. The mirror motif, a symbol of self-reflection and vanity, has a long lineage. Consider Vanitas paintings of the Dutch Golden Age where mirrors reflect the fleeting nature of beauty and life. But the mirror is not merely about superficiality. The mirror in Dardel’s work invites a deeper contemplation of identity, as the woman sees her own gaze. In psychoanalytic terms, mirrors represent the point at which we recognize ourselves. Dardel captures the complex and cyclical nature of identity and self-perception. Mirrors offer not just a reflection, but a confrontation with our transient existence. From ancient myths to modern portraiture, artists have employed mirrors to invite a dialogue between reality and illusion, past and present, constantly reappearing, evolving, and taking on new meanings.