Staande jonge vrouw bij een muur, op de rug gezien 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve sketched this young woman by a wall, seen from behind, using pen in gray and brown, brush in gray and watercolor. The image evokes classical antiquity through the presence of the water jug, connecting us to a long line of images featuring women with water vessels. Consider, for instance, the ancient Greek hydriaphoros—young women carrying water jugs on their heads, symbols of purity and daily labor. Mauve’s figure, however, departs from the classical ideal. She leans against the wall, her gaze directed away from us, perhaps lost in thought. This posture, seen across time from melancholic Roman portraits to figures in Romantic landscapes, suggests introspection and a connection to nature, while still rooted in the classical tradition. The water jug, while still present, evolves here from a symbol of simple daily labor to a complex element of reflection, engaging our subconscious on the cyclical nature of life and the ever-present undercurrent of change.