Bearded Figure 

John Flaxman made this pen and ink drawing of a Bearded Figure sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Flaxman was working at a time when artists and intellectuals were fascinated by classical antiquity. He spent several years in Rome, where he produced many drawings of ancient sculpture. In this sketch, you can see how Flaxman distilled the human form down to its most essential lines. The quick strokes and simple forms create a sense of immediacy, as if we are witnessing the artist capturing a fleeting impression. Flaxman’s neoclassicism was closely linked to the Enlightenment project of rationalizing society. This involved advocating for educational reforms and designing monuments to national heroes. To truly understand a work like this, we can consult not just art historical texts, but also the broader social and political writings of the period. The meaning of art is always contingent on its historical context.