Head and shoulders of a Woman 1789 - 1799

Baron Dominique Vivant Denon sketched this "Head and Shoulders of a Woman" with graphite on paper, a medium allowing for delicate lines. Consider the averted gaze, a motif that winds its way through art history. It is the embodiment of modesty, often seen in depictions of saints or goddesses. Yet, the act of looking away can be seen as a powerful expression of interiority, an assertion of privacy in a world that seeks to observe and categorize. The image is reminiscent of classical sculptures, where the partial unveiling of the body suggests an ideal of beauty that is both present and withheld. It's a dance of revelation and concealment that continues to fascinate, this symbol of femininity reappears in various guises. This motif of partial revelation and the elusive gaze continues to resurface, echoing through time.