Standing Gentleman, three-quarter length profile facing right 

Anne-Louis Girodet rendered this "Standing Gentleman" in a three-quarter view profile, a posture steeped in history. Throughout time, the profile has served as a potent symbol of identity, from ancient coins to Renaissance portraiture. Girodet’s gentleman, however, turns away, perhaps suggesting a sense of introspection. This echoes the "melancholic man," a figure present from antiquity through Romanticism, embodying contemplation. The act of turning away, seen across eras, also carries psychological weight. Think of the Romantic Rückenfigur—the figure seen from behind—common in Caspar David Friedrich’s works. There, too, we confront themes of solitude and the sublime, reflecting inner emotional landscapes. In Girodet’s drawing, the profile merges with this tradition. This fusion taps into shared feelings of self-reflection, solitude, and the relentless passage of time, connecting us to the work on a deep level.