Brystbillede af en kvinde i profil, der er klædt i en ældre tids dragt 1840s

This is a drawing by Dankvart Dreyer, a bust of a woman in profile, attired in clothing reminiscent of a bygone era. The profile view, a tradition harking back to ancient coins and Renaissance portraiture, emphasizes nobility and timelessness. Consider, for example, the Roman emperors immortalized on coins—their profiles serving as emblems of power. Here, the woman's simple head covering and modest dress evoke a sense of virtue, connecting her visually to figures from earlier times. Yet, this image is rendered with a certain psychological depth. The hatching technique imbues the woman with a quiet, reflective demeanor. Perhaps Dreyer sought to capture not just her likeness, but also the weight of history and memory she embodies. The profile, thus, becomes a vessel through which we can contemplate the continuous, cyclical nature of time.