Staande vrouw met kap op haar hoofd 1848 - 1927

August Allebé made this sketch of a standing woman with a head covering using pen and ink on blue paper. Allebé was the director of the Amsterdam Academy during a time of increasing interest in Realism. The image is an apt example of this school of thought, with the artist’s concentration on the working classes of the Netherlands. The sketch itself has a spontaneous, uncontrived quality, which adds to its honest depiction of everyday life. The woman’s clothing, particularly her head covering, serves as a visual marker of her identity and status within her community. At the time, art academies were slowly becoming more inclusive, opening their doors to a more diverse range of students and subjects. Artists like Allebé challenged traditional academic norms by focusing on the lives of ordinary people. To understand this work better, we can look to sources such as historical records, social studies, and the archives of art institutions. This provides a richer understanding of the artist's intentions and the work’s place within the broader culture.