Personificatie van het flegmatisch temperament 1745

This 1745 etching by Johann Gottfried Thelott, titled "Personificatie van het flegmatisch temperament," depicts a seated elderly man, likely intended to represent the phlegmatic temperament. The man's relaxed posture and calm expression are characteristic of the phlegmatic personality, which was one of the four temperaments described by ancient Greek philosophers. The artwork is framed by elaborate rococo ornamentation, a style popular throughout Europe in the 18th century. The etching is part of a larger series of prints that explored the four temperaments, and is now on display at the Rijksmuseum.