De dood van Julius Caesar(?) 1787 - 1860

This drawing, possibly titled "The Death of Julius Caesar," was created by Louis Hersent. The drawing presents a stark scene rendered in graphite. The composition directs our eyes to the drama unfolding at center: a figure, presumably Caesar, is attacked. To the left, a seated figure is withdrawn from the central event, separated by a strong vertical architectural element. This formal division serves to isolate the witness psychologically from the violent act. Hersent employs shadow and light to heighten the emotional impact. The contrast accentuates the tension in the bodies of the assassins and their victim. The architectural setting, suggested with minimal detail, becomes an almost theatrical stage. The drawing encapsulates the moment of betrayal and demise, not merely as historical narrative, but as a study in emotional and spatial dynamics. In the act of drawing, Hersent explores the semiotic potential of composition and the psychological depth of human relationships under duress.