Arbeid voor de vrouw. Loten van de Nationale tentoonstelling van vrouwenarbeid à 50 cents op het terrein en in de Depots verkrijgbaar. Eerste prijs een juweelen sieraad ter waarde van f.1000,- 1898

This is Jan Toorop's poster, made to advertise the Nationale Tentoonstelling van Vrouwenarbeid, or National Exhibition of Women's Labor, held in The Hague, Netherlands. The monochromatic rendering immediately directs our attention to the composition. A woman stands tall in the foreground, dominating the frame, with other women behind her. The central figure wields a hammer on an anvil that reads 'Arbeid voor de vrouw,' or 'Labor for women', suggesting strength, and industriousness, which echoes ideas of the 'New Woman' and female empowerment. Above, a sphinx reclines, which can be interpreted as a symbol of mystery and power, watching over the scene. The figures are rendered with soft, curvilinear lines reminiscent of Art Nouveau, which gives the image a sense of ethereal beauty. Toorop’s poster goes beyond mere advertising; it is a cultural artifact which encapsulates the changing roles of women at the turn of the 20th century, challenging viewers to rethink societal expectations through its bold imagery and symbolic forms.