Severed head, said to be that of Maximilien-François-Marie-Isidore de Robespierre (1758-1794), guillotined July 28, 1794 (10 Thermidor, An II) 1794

This drawing by baron Dominique Vivant Denon depicts the severed head of Maximilien Robespierre, a prominent figure in the French Revolution. Created in 1794, the year of Robespierre's execution, the artwork serves as a chilling reminder of the Reign of Terror. Denon's meticulous pencil strokes capture the detail of the head, with the artist's hand seen holding the hair, adding a dramatic element to the composition. The artwork, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is a poignant example of historical portraiture.