Head of a Bearded Man in Half-Profile

Adolph Menzel made this study of a bearded man in half-profile with graphite on paper. Menzel was a master of Realism in 19th-century Germany, which was a time of great social change. He used art to reflect society, depicting a wide range of people from nobles to workers, and focusing on the everyday as opposed to the grand historical themes found in earlier art. Looking closely, we can see the artist using the visual codes of portraiture to imbue his subject with dignity. At the same time, by showing an ordinary working man as a subject worthy of art, Menzel subverts academic tradition and makes a progressive statement. To better understand this work, one might look into the history of Realism as an art movement, as well as the social and political context of Germany at that time. We need to reflect on how artistic institutions shape our understanding of what is considered worthy of representation.