Head of old woman from Antwerp 1873

Editor: So, this is "Head of Old Woman from Antwerp" by Felicien Rops, created in 1873. It seems to be a drawing, possibly with pastels. I'm struck by how...stark it is, yet there's also an undeniable dignity to the subject. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see a complex engagement with societal norms of beauty and representation. Rops, known for his transgressive art, here portrays an aging woman with unflinching realism. He isn't romanticizing old age. Editor: Right. It feels very different from idealized portraits of the time. Curator: Exactly. This subverts the typical male gaze that dominated portraiture. Instead of an idealized representation, we are confronted with the unvarnished reality of aging, specifically within a particular social context, as indicated by the woman's clothing. Antwerp in 1873 was a rapidly changing industrial city. Does this give you new ways to think about the portrait? Editor: I suppose so, it speaks volumes. Perhaps her social standing is also conveyed, with the traditional hat juxtaposed against her evident age. Curator: It’s also useful to ask how Rops uses Realism to reveal power structures that dictate who is worthy of artistic representation, and whose stories are silenced? It could be argued he is shining a light on the often-ignored experiences of older women in a rapidly modernizing society. Editor: It’s definitely caused me to rethink what's going on beyond just what I can see at face value, the impact and power within it. Curator: Precisely! And to consider the role art plays in challenging, or perpetuating, social inequalities.