Portrait of Mrs. Pauline Hagen 1825

C.A. Jensen painted this portrait of Mrs. Pauline Hagen using oil on canvas. During the 19th century, portraiture became a powerful tool for constructing and communicating identity, especially for women in bourgeois society. Mrs. Hagen is depicted with a soft gaze, adorned in symbols of wealth and status, like the elaborate feather headdress. Note how her dress combines the classicism of the empire waist with the embellishments of the Biedermeier era. But beyond the surface, consider what is not shown. The portrait presents an idealized vision of femininity, one that reinforces the patriarchal structures of the time. It invites us to reflect on the limited roles and expectations imposed on women, whose identities were often defined by their marital status and social standing. This painting provides a glimpse into the complex interplay between identity, representation, and social expectations, leaving us to ponder the untold stories of women whose lives were shaped by the constraints and possibilities of their time.