Blad 44 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1932 - 1939

This is page 44 from a register of students at The Colonial School for Girls and Women in The Hague, dating from between 1930 and 1949. The page records personal information for each student, accompanied in some cases by photographs. Note the sketch of a soaring bird in the upper left. Birds often symbolize freedom, transcendence, and the soul's journey. This imagery dates back to ancient Egyptian depictions of the soul as a bird. One can draw a parallel with classical imagery of winged Victory, adapted during the Renaissance and later. The symbol takes on new meaning in the interwar period. The dream of 'freedom' is often contrasted with the new realities of post-war society. This bird—a symbol of aspiration—becomes loaded with the complex tensions of the era. One cannot help but speculate on how this symbol might capture the students’ dreams of escaping the confines of their social roles. The psychological resonance speaks to the underlying desires and conflicts within these young women, striving for independence in a rapidly changing world. The soaring bird motif, while ancient in origin, is forever re-emerging, transformed by the passage of time.