Antieke buste 1825 - 1891

Jean Théodore Joseph Linnig created this drawing of an antique bust using graphite and paper. The bust presents an idealised male head atop a classical pedestal, its features stoic and composed, embodying the Roman virtue of gravitas. This controlled expression, which we see mirrored through time in countless portraits of rulers and dignitaries, serves as a mask of power. Consider, for example, the sculpted visages of pharaohs in ancient Egypt, or even the stern faces in Renaissance paintings, all echoing this pursuit of timeless authority. Yet, such a controlled expression is not immutable. Think of Bernini's "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa," where the face is not a mask but a window into the soul, reflecting inner turmoil. This oscillation between control and expression, between the mask and the face, shapes our understanding. The bust reminds us that symbols persist, evolving through history, constantly renegotiated by the collective subconscious.