Portret van een vrouw, staand bij een balustrade 1857 - 1895

This photograph by François Hermans presents a woman standing beside a balustrade, a construct deeply rooted in history. The balustrade itself— a series of short pillars supporting a rail—evokes classical architecture, reminiscent of ancient temples and Renaissance palaces. Here, it's a stage prop, an indicator of status and refinement. The gesture of leaning, seemingly casual, is a carefully posed symbol of composure, a counterpoint to the unease that portraiture can often inspire. Yet, consider the evolution of the balustrade— from the sacred enclosures of ancient Greece, where it demarcated the divine, to its modern form, a mundane boundary in our homes. The balustrade is a cyclical progression, resurfacing in different forms, reminding us of the past embedded in the present. It engages us on a subconscious level, whispering tales of tradition.