Leon Gambetta, 2nd plate 

Alphonse Legros captured the likeness of Léon Gambetta in this print, rendering him in profile. This view, immortalized since antiquity on coins and busts, emphasizes the intellectual and noble character of the sitter. The profile, though seemingly simple, is laden with historical weight. Consider the Roman emperors, whose profiles on coins were not mere representations, but declarations of power, echoing through the ages. Even in Renaissance portraiture, the profile view carried echoes of classical virtue and authority. Here, Gambetta's gaze is directed off to the side, imbued with a sense of purpose and forward-thinking vision. The weight of history is not a static burden, but a dynamic force propelling him—and France—forward.