Hermaphrodite

About this artwork

In the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art lies a delicate black chalk drawing titled *Hermaphrodite*, created the master Neoclassicist Jacques-Louis around 1780 or possibly 1810. Measuring just 5½ x 8⅜ inches, this intimate study on paper captures the artist's precise hand in rendering the mythical figure of Hermaphroditus—born of Hermes and Aphrodite, embodying fluid gender and beauty from ancient Greek lore. David's use of black chalk allowed for subtle tonal modeling and soft contours, a technique favored for exploratory sketches that bridged his grand history paintings and classical ideals. As a pillar of French Neoclassicism, David championed clarity, heroism, and antiquity, influencing the Revolutionary era and Napoleon's court. This drawing, rarer than his monumental oils like *The Oath of the Horatii*, offers a glimpse into his private process—perhaps a preparatory study or personal meditation on erotic, androgynous forms inspired by antique sculptures. Its ambiguity in dating reflects David's long career, spanning pre-Revolutionary elegance to Empire grandeur. Displayed among the Lehman Collection's treasures since 1975, *Hermaphrodite* invites visitors to ponder the sensual side of neoclassical rigor, reminding us how David's line distilled timeless myths into modern mastery.