Staande man in toga, naar links met opgeheven rechterarm 1516 - 1566

This drawing of a standing man in a toga, with his right arm raised, was made by Lambert Lombard, a Renaissance artist from Liège. Lombard lived during a time of immense social and religious upheaval, marked by the Reformation and the rise of humanism. His travels to Rome exposed him to classical antiquity, influencing his artistic style. In this drawing, the man's toga and posture evoke a sense of classical authority, yet Lombard's work also reflects the intellectual ferment of his time, a period of questioning established norms and exploring new ideas about humanity's place in the world. Consider the choice to depict a man in a toga at this moment in history; what does that say about shifting societal values? And how do you respond emotionally to this figure who is at once rooted in the past and gesturing towards an uncertain future?