A Seated Young Woman Wearing a Fashionable Hat 1800 - 1803

Carl Wilhelm Kolbe created this delicate drawing of a young woman, rendered in graphite, during an era of profound social transformation. It’s fascinating to consider the cultural scripts being written for women during this period, especially within the confines of bourgeois society. Notice the sitter’s fashionable hat and delicate dress which indicates a certain level of social standing. Yet her posture and reserved expression also suggest the constraints placed upon women of the time. Kolbe captures a sense of both privilege and confinement, hinting at the complex negotiations women had to navigate. What does it mean to be both adorned and restricted, visible yet unheard? The artwork invites us to reflect on the expectations and limitations imposed on women. It serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for autonomy and self-expression, as women negotiated, and continue to negotiate, their place in the world.