Le Crainte, Le Mépris, La Frayeur (from Caractères des passions, gravés sur les desseins de l'illustre Monsieur le Brun) 1695 - 1720

This etching by Sébastien Le Clerc, le Jeune, titled "Le Crainte, Le Mépris, La Frayeur" from his series "Caractères des passions," depicts three facial expressions representing fear, contempt, and fright. These detailed line drawings, created between 1695 and 1720, offer a glimpse into the artist's understanding of human emotions and their visual representations. The exaggerated features of each face contribute to the overall impact and effectively convey the emotions they represent, making this a fascinating study of human expression. The work is part of a larger series exploring the spectrum of human emotions and is currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.