Gezicht van een jonge vrouw, en profil 1867 - 1890

This is a portrait of a young woman by Philip Zilcken, sketched in profile. Observe the flowing hair, an archetypal representation of femininity and youth. Throughout art history, loose hair has appeared as a motif symbolizing innocence, beauty, and even a kind of untamed spirit. Consider Botticelli’s Venus, rising from the sea, her long hair a focal point of her divine beauty. In this artwork, the young woman's hair is depicted with similar attention, suggesting a connection to these earlier ideals of female beauty. However, this symbol is not static. In other contexts, unbound hair can represent mourning, madness, or even eroticism. The subtle curve of the neck and the downcast gaze evoke both vulnerability and a quiet strength. Such imagery taps into a collective memory, echoing across centuries. It is a continuous psychological interplay with the viewer's own cultural understanding of youth and femininity. The symbol resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different contexts.