Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1766
Allan Ramsay captures the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau looking rather intense in his signature Armenian fur hat and heavy coat. Painted in 1766 while Rousseau was living in exile in England, this portrait shows the famous thinker actively rejecting fancy French fashion for something much more rugged and exotic. The dark, moody background puts all the focus on his piercing, slightly suspicious gaze, making you wonder what revolutionary ideas were brewing in that famous head. It's a perfect snapshot of a man who wanted to return to nature, even if he had to wear a giant fur hat to do it!
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