Mathilde Winning 1830s

Emil Ditlev Bærentzen created this portrait of Mathilde Winning using lithography, a printmaking technique that allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images. The artwork offers a glimpse into the conventions of representing women in the 19th century. Winning is depicted with a soft gaze and gentle demeanor, embodying the era's ideals of feminine virtue and domesticity. The bonnet and fur stole, while markers of status, also frame her face in a way that emphasizes modesty and grace. Bærentzen’s artistic choices reflect the societal expectations placed on women. In a time when women's roles were largely confined to the domestic sphere, portraits like these served as a means of preserving and celebrating their likeness, but often within very strict boundaries. Winning's representation invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between individual identity and cultural norms of the time, and how women navigated their positions in society.