Portret van een vrouw c. 1870 - 1890

This is Lorenzo Suscipi’s ‘Portret van een vrouw,’ an early photograph mounted within an oval frame. The oval, a shape echoing the form of an egg, has symbolized life and rebirth since antiquity. Think of Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ and the almond-shaped ‘mandorla’ surrounding Christ in medieval art. Encapsulating this woman, the oval suggests an aura, an eternal quality. The woman’s gaze is fixed, yet soft, hinting at an inner world. This, too, has echoes in art history, from the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile to the introspective saints of religious painting. How often have artists sought to capture the human soul through the eyes? The photograph is muted in tone, yet the woman's presence resonates. The oval framing focuses our attention on her, a visual anchor in a sea of changing forms and faces. This timeless symbol, the oval, continues to evolve.