Portret van een vrouw, mogelijk Marie Niemen Lesbach c. 1870 - 1890

This photograph by Mondel & Jacob captures a woman, possibly Marie Niemen Lesbach, framed by an archway overgrown with ivy. Ivy, a powerful emblem, speaks to the depths of human connection and enduring memory. Historically, ivy has symbolized attachment, immortality, and fidelity, often seen in funerary art to represent eternal life. The tendrils of ivy, clinging steadfastly, echo in the twisted forms of Laocoön, bound by serpents, where suffering and tenacity intertwine. We find it also in ancient Roman frescos, adorning villas as a promise of lasting love and vitality. Here, the ivy suggests a poignant, almost melancholic contemplation on time and remembrance. It evokes a sense of longing and the cyclical nature of life, constantly resurfacing in our collective consciousness, forever reaching towards the light, even in the darkest of times.