Staand meisje met opgeheven arm 1892 - 1901

This is Antoon Derkinderen's sketch of a standing girl with raised arm, created sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. It is a quick, linear work, likely a preliminary study for a more finished piece. Derkinderen was deeply engaged with social issues and had strong sympathies for the working class. His art often reflects a desire to uplift and ennoble ordinary people. Consider the girl’s raised arm. Is it a gesture of defiance, of reaching for something beyond her grasp, or perhaps a call to action? The ambiguity in this simple sketch invites us to project our own interpretations, influenced by our own understanding of gender, class, and the possibilities of social mobility. The sketch embodies both vulnerability and strength. It is a potent reminder of the silent stories embedded in the bodies of those on the margins.