De fire tempreramenter 1808

"De fire tempreramenter" (The Four Temperaments) is an 1808 print by Danish artist Gerhard Ludvig Lahde (1765-1833) depicting four men representing the four humours of ancient Greek medicine: the melancholic scholar, the sanguine officer, the choleric merchant, and the phlegmatic peasant. The print is housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, Denmark. The print is a satirical commentary on the societal roles associated with each temperament. The scene depicts the four men standing in front of an easel with a painting, a visual representation of the temperaments themselves. It is a fine example of Lahde's skill in capturing human personality through caricature.