Portret van een jonge vrouw 1891 - 1914

Jean Günther made this portrait of a young woman, perhaps with egg tempera or a similar delicate medium, judging by its creamy, soft tones. I’m wondering, as she worked, did Jean consider the layers of identity a portrait can convey? There’s the subject, of course, but also the artist’s interpretation, and the societal expectations of beauty and representation. The pose is classical, but there’s a certain fragility to it, as well as to the materials. It's like she’s there, but she could fade away at any moment. The work reminds me of the portraits by artists like Elizabeth Peyton, who capture the ephemeral essence of their subjects with a similar sense of vulnerability and grace. I feel like artists are always speaking to each other across time, don’t you? Picking up threads, and maybe this portrait continues the thread of capturing delicate beauty, inspiring other artists to explore these nuances in their own way.