Staande vrouw naar links, de hand in de zij Possibly 1814

This sanguine drawing captures a standing woman, hand on her hip, by Abraham Johannes Ruytenschildt. Observe the gesture of the hand on the hip, a pose laden with implications of defiance, pride, or perhaps weariness. This very stance, echoing through art history, links back to classical contrapposto. The visual echo of antiquity hints at the enduring human quest for balance. Consider how such a gesture appears in depictions of Aphrodite, or even a common labourer—each carries its own nuance, yet shares a lineage. The pose is imbued with a sense of self-assuredness, even in simplicity. It is this enduring quality that bridges disparate eras. Note, too, her bare feet, grounding her in the immediacy of life. Through time, this pose resurfaces, laden with the weight of history and reborn with each reinterpretation.