Portret van een onbekende oude vrouw 1892

Frans Proost created this portrait of an unknown old woman as an etching during the early twentieth century. The image invites us to consider the public role of art and the politics of imagery during that time. Proost made this portrait in Belgium, a nation deeply affected by the social and economic structures of its time, including industrialization and urbanization. The woman’s attire and the medium of etching suggest a connection to the working class and to printmaking traditions, which made art more accessible to a wider audience. What social conditions shaped Proost’s artistic production? Was he driven by social concerns, seeking to give visibility to those often overlooked? Did the institutions of art at the time – galleries, schools, and patrons – influence his choice of subject and medium? Historians delve into these questions through archival research, examining exhibition records, artists’ letters, and social histories to uncover the complex interplay between art and society.