Four faces expressing (clockwise from top left): hatred or jealousy, anger, acute pain and desire. Etching by A-J. de Fehrt after C. Le Brun., result 1 of 1

French

Four faces expressing (clockwise from top left): hatred or jealousy, anger, acute pain and desire. Etching by A-J. de Fehrt after C. Le Brun.

Etchings.

etching ;

platemark 35 x 22.4 cm

1 print :

Le Brun's depiction of the passions is supported by his theory of the passions, which is delineated in the 'Conférence'. In Cartesian style, each compound passion is an organisation of the six simple passions of admiration, love, hatred, desire, joy and sadness. For instance, jealousy is a composite of love and hate; despair "is a strong persuasion of not being able to obtain what we desire"

Dessein, Expression des passions. Le Brun del. Defehrt fecit. Fig. 1. fig. 2. fig. 3. fig. 4

Image and original data from Wellcome Collection