Zittend meisje 1814 - 1859

This is ‘Zittend Meisje’ or ‘Sitting Girl’ created by David van der Kellen in the 19th century, now held at the Rijksmuseum. The etching presents a young woman in contemplative repose. The composition is dominated by a play of light and shadow, achieved through dense, cross-hatched lines that define the contours of her face and clothing. Van der Kellen uses the etching technique to create a tonal range that evokes both depth and texture. The girl’s gaze, directed slightly downward, invites introspection, while the surrounding darkness emphasizes her presence. Her clothing, rendered with meticulous detail, hints at a particular social context and perhaps some affluence. The image is formally interesting because it destabilizes fixed notions of portraiture. The combination of realism and evocative shading contributes to the work’s mysterious atmosphere. The interplay between light and shadow acts as a semiotic system, where darkness conceals as much as it reveals, prompting an ongoing re-evaluation of the subject's identity and role.