Adam Rolland (1734–1819) 1794

This is a glass paste medallion of Adam Rolland by James Tassie, likely from the late 18th century. The stark profile, a symbol of nobility and intellect, is rendered in Neoclassical style, evoking the power of ancient Roman portraiture. The profile view itself is an ancient motif, gracing coins and cameos since antiquity. Think of the Roman emperors, their visages stamped on currency, projecting authority. This echoes through the Renaissance and finds new life in the Enlightenment, a period obsessed with reason and order. The white color is loaded with its own set of connotations, and the Neoclassical style emphasizes purity and rationality. Consider how this style resurfaces in revolutionary France, where leaders sought to embody republican virtues through similar artistic representations. The act of memorializing a face in profile, a seemingly simple gesture, becomes a potent symbol of enduring influence, subtly playing on our collective memory. This is a face caught in time, an attempt to immortalize the individual, mirroring a timeless human desire.