Portret van een onbekende jonge vrouw 1879 - 1885

This is a photograph of an unknown young woman by Emil Thiedemann, captured in Bremen, Germany, in the late 19th century. Observe the lion-headed desk legs, a motif echoing through history. From ancient Egypt, where lions guarded tombs, to medieval heraldry symbolizing courage, the lion embodies strength. Yet, here, supporting a desk, it also represents knowledge, as if guarding the very act of learning. Think of similar symbolic metamorphoses: the owl, once a harbinger of death, became a symbol of wisdom. The woman in the photograph is caught in an enigmatic gaze and enclosed in a domestic setting. Symbols, you see, do not progress linearly; they spiral, resurfacing, transforming, engaging us on a subconscious level.