Admiration with Astonishment after 1698

"Admiration with Astonishment" presents a portrait of a woman, rendered in sanguine chalk on paper by Eduardus Jacobus. The choice of sanguine chalk, with its earthy, blood-red hue, is significant. It was a favored medium for preparatory drawings and academic studies, prized for its ability to capture subtle gradations of light and shadow. Jacobus’s assured handling of the chalk—the delicate hatching and cross-hatching that define the woman’s features, the soft blurring of edges to suggest volume—speaks to a deep understanding of draftsmanship. Beyond technical skill, the drawing speaks to a culture steeped in the study of human anatomy and expression, and of the scientific effort to codify emotion. The inscription at the bottom describing the features of the face, is more than a description. It is an early attempt to read and classify internal states of emotion. This drawing is more than just an image; it's a material record of artistic labor, a historical artifact of scientific and artistic inquiry, and ultimately, a testament to the enduring power of craft.