Vrouw lopend met haar handen onder haar schort, van opzij Possibly 1651

Harmen ter Borch rendered this ink drawing of a woman in motion during the 17th century. Her hands are tucked under her schort, or apron. This gesture may signal modesty, or perhaps she carries something hidden from view. Across cultures and centuries, the apron has served diverse symbolic roles. In medieval art, aprons can denote servitude, while in other contexts, they symbolize domesticity and maternal warmth. Consider, too, how the apron appears in folklore, often associated with witches and healers, their hidden pockets holding ingredients for potions and charms. This simple garment, then, becomes charged with complex associations. It evokes not only the everyday but also the hidden, the nurturing, and even the arcane, engaging our collective memories and subconscious understanding. Ter Borch’s study reminds us that even the most commonplace objects carry layers of meaning.