Junger Mann im Profil nach links 

This drawing, held at the Städel Museum, is by Carl Barth, who was born in 1787 and died in 1853. The portrait presents us with a profile of a young man, rendered in delicate pencil strokes. Note the lines of the subject's coat, collar, and hair, and observe the subtle hatching that defines the planes of his face. The composition directs our gaze along the gentle curve of the man's profile, from his forehead, down the bridge of his nose, to the soft contours of his lips and chin. Barth's attention to line and form evokes a sense of understated elegance. The overall impression is one of quiet contemplation, with the young man's gaze directed towards an unseen point beyond the frame. Consider the way Barth captures the sitter’s likeness with just a few lines, and how the careful control of light and shadow models the forms of the face. These choices invite us to reflect on the nature of representation and the ability of art to convey not just physical appearance, but also something of the sitter's inner life.