Profilkopf eines bärtigen Mannes nach rechts 

Benjamin Calau created this profile of a bearded man, using chalk or charcoal, sometime in the 18th century. The image draws heavily from classical antiquity in its style and subject, though the sitter isn’t obviously identifiable as a particular historical figure. Calau made this work in the German-speaking lands, then part of the Holy Roman Empire. A patchwork of territories with different traditions, it was still dominated by feudal social relations and institutions, even as new scientific ideas from the Enlightenment began to circulate. This drawing recalls earlier images of philosophers or even Christ. It reflects the cultural elite’s habit of looking to the past for models of virtue and wisdom, even as Europe moved toward a more modern, secular future. To understand this artwork better, we might delve into the history of portraiture or the importance of classical imagery in the 1700s. By considering the social and intellectual context, we see this drawing as more than just a likeness; it’s a window into a world of shifting values and artistic traditions.