Head of a Woman 

Paul César Helleu made this print, Head of a Woman, in France. Looking at the image, we can see how it fits within a longer history of male artists representing women. The woman is presented as an object of beauty, her face and elaborate hair the focus of the image. The gaze is averted, lost in thought, so that the viewer can freely admire her. Helleu, however, was part of a particular moment, the Belle Époque, and that is reflected in his chosen medium. Printmaking had become increasingly popular, and was thought to be a more democratic art form. As well, Helleu was closely associated with the Impressionists, and here we see the Impressionist emphasis on capturing a fleeting moment. The woman is not presented as an idealized figure but as a modern woman of her time. To understand this work fully, we might research the changing role of women in French society at the turn of the century, or look more closely at the popular culture of the Belle Époque. In this way we can see how the meaning of art is contingent on its moment.