Jonge vrouw met omslagdoek en waaier 1836 - 1857

Paulus Anthonius Liernur made this print of a young woman with a shawl and fan, most likely in the Netherlands, sometime in the mid-19th century. It captures the visual codes of feminine beauty and social status prevalent at the time. Her elaborate clothing, jewelry, and carefully styled hair all speak to the economic structures that afforded such luxuries. The fan itself was a symbol of refinement and a tool for non-verbal communication within the strict social etiquette of the era. Consider, too, the role of institutions like art academies and salons, which reinforced certain aesthetic standards and expectations for artists like Liernur. Was he simply catering to the tastes of a bourgeois audience, or perhaps subtly critiquing the constraints placed upon women in his society? To delve deeper, one might consult fashion plates, etiquette manuals, and demographic records from the period. Ultimately, this print serves as a reminder that even seemingly straightforward portraits are embedded in a complex web of social and institutional contexts.