Portret van een jonge vrouw 1870 - 1890

This is a photograph made by Albert Greiner in Amsterdam. It shows a young woman adorned with distinctive earrings. These earrings, small yet striking, draw our attention. Jewellery has been a powerful marker across cultures, a symbolic language echoing through time. In ancient Egypt, earrings signified status and divine protection. In the Renaissance, they denoted wealth and aesthetic refinement. Here, in this young woman's portrait, they speak of societal belonging and personal identity. Consider how the simple act of adorning oneself with jewellery subtly shifts across epochs. From talismans warding off evil spirits to fashion statements echoing courtly love, the earring evolves. Yet, it returns: a constant thread connecting our primal need for self-expression and transformation. It is a quiet scream of identity, resonating in the collective memory.