Compositiestudies van vrouwen 1886 - 1908

These composition studies of women were made in pencil by George Hendrik Breitner. The figures, draped in cloaks and head coverings, evoke images of women in mourning throughout history, shrouded in garments that conceal and protect. Consider, for example, the veiled figures found in ancient Roman funerary art, or the mourning attire of widows in Renaissance paintings. The veil, a potent symbol of grief and separation, appears across cultures and centuries. Here, the veil hints at the women's inner emotional states, the weight of sorrow and loss. It resurfaces in unexpected places, each time carrying a new yet familiar resonance. This visual language speaks to us on a deeper, almost subconscious level. The motif of the shrouded figure has a cyclical progression, recurring and evolving through the ages.