Mouvement de douleur, Douleur aigue de corps et d'Esprit, Mouvement composé (from Caractères des passions, gravés sur les desseins de l'illustre Monsieur le Brun) 1695 - 1720

This is a drawing by Sébastien Le Clerc, le Jeune, made sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century, showing different ‘movements’ of pain. The artwork offers insight into the prevailing social and cultural attitudes toward emotions during that era. Made in France, it reflects a period in which the study and classification of human emotions gained traction within artistic and intellectual circles. These movements, rendered with precise draftsmanship, hint at the influence of scientific rationalism on artistic practice. Academies played a significant role by standardizing artistic training, and propagating theories about human expression. This artwork, therefore, may represent an attempt to codify and categorize human emotions. It prompts us to question the social structures that shaped how emotions were understood, expressed, and regulated. Delving into the historical context through primary sources, such as treatises on physiognomy, and academic discourses on art, allows for a deeper understanding of the social and institutional forces that influenced this artwork.