Figuur op het bovenste balkon van een gebouw op een hoek van een Parijse straat 1867

"Figuur op het bovenste balkon van een gebouw op een hoek van een Parijse straat" is a pencil drawing by Maria Vos. Vos, born in the Netherlands in 1824, lived in a time when women artists often navigated limited roles. This sketch offers us a glimpse into Vos's experience in Paris. The architecture is captured with a directness, a sense of being present in the city. Consider the identity of the solitary figure on the balcony. Are they observing the city, or are they, themselves, on display? The drawing also hints at the broader societal context of 19th-century Paris. The city was a center of cultural and social change, yet traditional class structures persisted. Perhaps Vos is inviting us to reflect on the interplay between private lives and the public sphere, and the dynamics of seeing and being seen. How does this simple sketch resonate with the complexities of urban life and the role of women within it?