A Seated Woman in Profile 1780 - 1849

David-Pierre Giottino Humbert de Superville created this drawing, A Seated Woman in Profile, with pen and brown ink. Drawn in the Neoclassical style, the figure evokes a sense of timelessness, yet the period was anything but. Humbert de Superville lived through the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, times of radical upheaval and transformation. The woman’s classical drapery and serene pose contrast with the turmoil of the period, perhaps reflecting a longing for stability. We might think about how Humbert de Superville, working in a society that largely defined women by their domestic roles, uses classical imagery to explore themes of virtue and beauty through the female form. The woman's averted gaze and the offering she presents imbue her with a sense of mystery. Consider the artist's choice to depict a woman in this manner. The artwork prompts reflections on the role of women in society, both then and now, and invites us to contemplate the narratives we construct around gender and identity.