Jean Duvet c. 1962

Leonard Baskin created this print titled 'Jean Duvet' using etching. The portrait shows a man in profile, his face framed by a wild, untamed beard and hair. This image evokes the archetype of the prophet or the ancient sage, figures often depicted with flowing hair as symbols of wisdom and divine inspiration. Think of Moses descending from Mount Sinai, or the wild-haired John the Baptist. This motif transcends cultures. The dishevelled appearance speaks to a state of ecstatic insight or divine madness, mirroring similar representations found throughout history, from the ecstatic Bacchantes of ancient Greece to the dishevelled prophets in Renaissance paintings. It is through such enduring symbols that we tap into collective memory, a reminder of the timeless human quest for understanding and meaning.