Portret van een onbekende vrouw c. 1765 - 1770

Christian Bernhard Rode created this print, “Portret van een onbekende vrouw,” sometime in the 18th century. The composition is strikingly divided between the formal portraiture above and the naturalistic, almost allegorical scene below. Rode uses fine, controlled lines to render the textures and forms, creating a delicate balance between the idealized portrait and the ephemeral nature of the scene. Notice how the oval frame of the portrait mirrors the curvature of the fountain, suggesting a visual echo that unifies the upper and lower sections. This mirroring effect destabilizes the traditional hierarchy of portraiture by embedding it within a broader, more temporal context. The butterfly, a symbol of transformation, hovers near the portrait, perhaps hinting at the transient nature of beauty and fame. The interplay of form and symbol in this print invites us to reconsider fixed notions of representation and to engage with the fluid, evolving nature of meaning itself.