Portret van twee meisjes nabij de Ubangi before 1892

This is an image of two young women near the Ubangi River, likely from an early ethnographic study, capturing a moment of daily life. The women's hairstyles are a dominant feature, meticulously styled and laden with symbolic meaning. These hairstyles remind me of other adornments across cultures and centuries, serving as visible markers of identity and status. Think of the elaborate wigs of the Egyptian court or the towering hairstyles of 18th-century Europe—each reflecting social hierarchies and cultural values. In this context, the hairstyles may signify the women's age, marital status, or social standing within their community. The act of adorning oneself taps into a deep-seated human impulse—the desire to project an image and communicate one's identity to the world. This primal urge transcends time and place, yet it is always filtered through the lens of cultural norms and expectations. In viewing this image, we are confronted with the enduring power of symbols and their ability to convey complex messages across time and space.