Sadness (from "Heads Representing the Various Passions of the Soul; as they are Expressed in the Human Countenance: Drawn by that Great Master Monsieur Le Brun") 1765 - 1800

This is an engraving called "Sadness" from a series titled "Heads Representing the Various Passions of the Soul." It’s based on drawings by the influential French artist Charles Le Brun, though the engraver is anonymous. Engravings like this were part of an effort to codify and categorize human emotions. But what does it mean to represent sadness so explicitly? Is it simply a clinical observation, or does it reveal something deeper about the human condition? This image asks us to consider how sadness is both a universal experience and something deeply personal. We recognize the signs – the downturned eyes, the slack mouth – but what is the story behind this particular sadness? What are the historical and cultural expectations around how emotions, particularly for women, are displayed and perceived? The artist prompts us to consider sadness not as a weakness, but as a profound aspect of human experience.