Portret van een vrouwelijk naakt met in de spiegel de fotograferende Breitner c. 1890 - 1910

This photograph by George Hendrik Breitner captures a nude woman reclining, her image reflected in a mirror where the artist himself is visible. The mirror, a potent symbol, evokes centuries of artistic and cultural fascination. Beyond mere reflection, it represents introspection and the unveiling of hidden truths. The mirror motif reappears across epochs, from Renaissance vanitas paintings reminding us of life’s ephemerality, to Surrealist explorations of fractured identity. Here, the woman's repose and the artist's gaze within the mirror frame create a complex dynamic of voyeurism and self-awareness. Such symbolism engages our collective memory, dredging up subconscious associations with beauty, mortality, and the act of seeing. Like the Ouroboros, perpetually devouring and recreating itself, the mirror's symbolism constantly evolves, reflecting our ever-shifting perceptions of self and reality.