l'Amour simple, Abattement, Le Desir (from "Caractères des passions, gravés sur les desseins de l'illustre Monsieur le Brun")

Art Historical Context

This etching, titled *l'Amour simple,attement, Le Des* (Simple Love,jection, Desire), is exquisite plate from the series *Caractères des*, created after designs by the illustrious Charles Le Brun, France's premier court painter under Louis XIV. Engraved by Sébastien Le Cler the Younger between 1695 and 1720, it three evocative female profile portraits, each embodying a distinct passion. Le Brun, a master of French classicism and founder of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, drew from contemporary theories—like those of Descartes—to depict emotions through precise facial expressions, making these images both scientific studies and artistic gems. Etching, the medium here, allowed Le Clerc to faithfully reproduce Le Brun's intricate drawings with fine, fluid lines on a modest sheet (7.5 × 14.8 cm). This intaglio technique, popular in 17th-century Europe, enabled widespread dissemination of elite designs, bridging art theory and public appreciation. Produced during the twilight of the Sun King's grandeur, the print reflects the era's fascination with human psychology, influencing later physiognomy studies. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953), this work invites visitors to ponder the universality of desire and melancholy—timeless themes rendered with elegant restraint.

About the Artist

Sébastien Le Clerc, le Jeune|Charles Le Brun (French|French) · 1676 |1619 –1763 |1690

French, Paris 1676–1763 Gobelins|French, Paris 1619–1690 Paris