Vrouw of meisje met kale plekken op het hoofd veroorzaakt door Alopecia areata before 1878

This undated photograph depicts a young person with alopecia areata, a condition causing hair loss, likely taken for medical documentation. In an era when appearance dictated social standing, this image challenges conventional standards of beauty. The subject, seen in profile, confronts us with a vulnerability often hidden from public view. Is it a boy or a girl? Is it a mark of beauty or one of disease? The clinical nature of the image raises questions about the power dynamics inherent in medical observation. How did the subject feel about being photographed and displayed in this way? Without the artist's or subject's testimony, we are left to infer their beliefs and experiences. By presenting this image, we are invited to reflect on society's perception of health, identity, and what it means to be seen. This photograph invites us to confront our own preconceptions, and empathize with individuals whose bodies defy conventional beauty standards.