Vrouw voor een spiegel kleedt zich aan 1852 - 1890

"Vrouw voor een spiegel kleedt zich aan" a small etching by Willem Linnig II, invites us into the intimate world of a woman dressing before a mirror. Made in the late 19th century, the piece exists within a complex social and artistic context. Here, the male gaze is softened by the artist's intimate portrayal of the woman’s private ritual. Linnig was part of a family of artists and, although based in Antwerp, many of them drew influence from other European artists working in the Realist and Romantic traditions. There’s an emotional tension in this work. The woman stands, half-dressed, caught between exposure and concealment. The mirror reflects her image, but also implicates us, the viewers, in this private moment. In this quiet scene, Linnig asks us to consider the multifaceted nature of identity and representation, and the subtle power dynamics at play when we look, and when we are being looked at.