Hoofd van een vrouw met een hoofddoek, naar beneden kijkend c. 1660

Moses ter Borch created this small drawing of a woman’s head, with chalk on grey paper, in the mid-17th century. Ter Borch, who died at just 22 years old, came from a family of artists in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age. The woman's downcast gaze and the simple headscarf might suggest humility, or perhaps a moment of introspection. In Dutch society at the time, dress, particularly for women, was heavily coded, indicating social status and religious affiliation. A headscarf like this could signify modesty, piety, or simply be a practical garment worn by working-class women. Ter Borch’s choice to focus on the woman's face, and particularly her eyes, invites us to consider her inner life. What is she thinking or feeling? Is she resigned, content, or longing for something more? The drawing offers no easy answers, but it does open a space for empathy and reflection. It reminds us that within the broader sweep of history, individual lives, experiences, and emotions persist.