Eugénie Ritter 

Jean-Joseph-Benjamin Constant captured Eugénie Ritter with oil on canvas, a portrait rich with symbols of beauty and status. The choker around her neck, sparkling with jewels, is more than mere adornment. It echoes the ancient torcs worn by Celtic warriors, symbols of power and protection. The bare shoulders, a bold display of skin, evoke classical sculptures of goddesses, but here, it speaks to a different kind of power: the power of attraction, of social influence. Consider how such symbols have mutated over time. What once signified tribal authority now denotes societal standing. The emotional weight of such symbols, passed down through generations, exerts a silent pressure, shaping our desires and anxieties. In Constant's portrait, the echoes of ancient power merge with the aspirations of modern society, a testament to the cyclical nature of symbols and the enduring power of the image.