The Dead Christ (recto); Child's Head (verso) c. 1646th century

Charles Le Brun made this drawing of the dead Christ using pen and brown ink, with gray wash on blue-gray paper. The composition is full of gestural marks and tonal variations of gray, which must have come into being through a series of shifting movements and intuitive decisions. I can imagine Le Brun feeling the weight of this subject matter, contemplating the emotional and spiritual significance of the scene. The material aspects of the drawing—the texture of the paper, the flow of the ink—heighten our experience of the image. Look at the weight and fall of Christ’s body; the lines communicate feeling and meaning as the forms unfold. Le Brun was a prolific artist, and this drawing relates to his wider exploration of religious themes and his interest in capturing human emotion. In his work, as in the work of many artists throughout history, there is an ongoing conversation across time, as artists inspire one another's creativity and create forms of embodied expression. His willingness to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty allows for multiple interpretations of his work.