Staande vrouw met een instrument in haar hand 17th century

This small print depicts a standing woman holding a musical instrument, rendered with fine lines. The artist, whose identity remains unknown, created a composition where the subject fills the frame. The figure is presented frontally, draped in classical garb that suggests a timeless, perhaps allegorical, presence. Note the precise, parallel lines that define the drapery. They create a sense of volume and texture, emphasizing the play of light and shadow across the fabric. This technique engages with broader artistic and philosophical concerns regarding the representation of form through line. We can analyze this formal quality as part of a larger cultural discourse, where the classical form meets the graphic precision of printmaking. Consider how the instrument held by the woman might signify harmony or creativity, aligning with cultural codes that value music as a symbol of order and civilization. This artwork, through its formal elements and iconographic suggestions, offers not a singular meaning but rather a site for ongoing interpretation.