A relaxed face (left); Profound attention (right)

Guillaume-Benjamin-Amant Duchenne (de Boulogne)

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a man facing the camera directly from the chest up. He has a furrowed brow and distinctive features suggesting age or life experience. His hair is sparse and combed back, revealing much of his scalp. He wears a loose, open-collared shirt. To his right, an arm extends into the frame holding a metal rod touching his forehead. On the lower right, a dark, bulky apparatus with visible mechanical components is positioned. The background is a simple, muted backdrop.