Hoofd van een oude vrouw met capuchon 1876

Piet Verhaert created this etching, "Head of an Old Woman with Hood," without a specified date. The image evokes both the immediate appearance of an individual, and the broader social context of labor and aging in the late 19th century. The lines of the etching create a sense of the woman's worn features, her gaze suggesting a lifetime of experience, while the hood itself, a visual code of the working class, hints at a life exposed to the elements. Made in Belgium, the image resonates with a period of industrial expansion and social change, where class identity was clearly demarcated. To fully appreciate Verhaert's work, we can consult the records of art academies, exhibition catalogs, and period publications. These help us understand the institutions and social conditions that shaped his art. They are also necessary to explore how Verhaert challenged or reinforced social norms through his depiction of working-class subjects.