Vrouw aan haar toilet c. 1895

Henri-Gabriel Ibels created this print, "Woman at Her Toilette," using lithography. Here, we find the motif of the toilette, a woman at her dressing table. Throughout art history, this seemingly private moment is imbued with layers of meaning. On the surface, it speaks to vanity, but beneath, we see themes of self-creation and identity. Consider, for instance, the ancient Greek myth of Pandora, opening her box, a symbolic act of unveiling hidden truths. The woman at her toilette mirrors this, unveiling and constructing her persona for the world. Similarly, in Renaissance paintings, we see Venus gazing into a mirror, reflecting not just her beauty but also the ephemeral nature of life. This motif then evolves, surfacing in Symbolist art as a reflection of inner turmoil and the search for self-understanding. The toilette is not merely about appearance, but it's an act of transformation, an echo of humanity's enduring quest to understand and present ourselves.