Félix-Hilaire Buhot 1898

Loys Delteil created this etching titled “Félix-Hilaire Buhot” in 1898. Observe Buhot's profile, framed by a lush beard and heavy fur collar. The fur, a symbol of status and warmth, also carries a primal weight. This motif echoes through art history. Consider the portraits of dignitaries enveloped in ermine, or even the wild pelts worn by ancient gods. The emotional impact is consistent: an assertion of power, softened by a layer of comfort and humanity. Think of the beards of the philosophers of antiquity, emblems of wisdom and virility, evolving into the respectable beards of our bourgeois. Fur and beards, both natural and cultivated, connect us to our ancestors, evoking a visceral sense of belonging and continuity, reminding us that, despite progress, our basic needs and desires remain unchanged. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols, and how they resurface across eras, carrying echoes of our shared past.