Sadness after 1698

"Sadness" is an undated drawing by Eduardus Jacobus, now held at The Art Institute of Chicago. Executed in red chalk, this study captures more than just a fleeting emotion; it embodies the cultural codification of grief and melancholy prevalent in its time. The drooping head and sorrowful eyes speak to a tradition of representing women in postures of emotional vulnerability. However, Jacobus's drawing does more than just depict sadness; it dissects it. The accompanying text delves into the physiological manifestations of sorrow. Jacobus draws attention to the brow, eyes, and mouth as sites of emotional expression. Is "Sadness" merely an exercise in physiognomy, the practice of assessing character through outward appearance? Or does it attempt to explore the depths of human emotion? It invites us to consider how sadness is both a personal experience and a cultural construct. We are left to consider whose sadness is being represented, and for whom?