Portret van een vrouw 1875 - 1885

This photograph, made by Eugene Guérin, presents a woman adorned with a rose, a symbol laden with meaning through the ages. The rose, prominently displayed, transcends mere adornment. It is an emblem resonating with love, beauty, and transient youth. One can trace its evolution from ancient Greece, where it was associated with Aphrodite, to its Christian interpretation as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Even earlier, in ancient Rome, roses were used as room decorations, and given as gifts. This iconography carries a sense of melancholy, reminding us of the ephemeral nature of beauty, and the cyclical patterns of life and death. The rose continues to resurface, evolving and taking on new meanings in different contexts.