Alexandre Lenoir

Alexandre Lenoir is an exacting study created by Jacques-Louis David French, 1748-1825, dating from the expansive period between 1805 and 1822. This powerful portrait sketch is classified as a drawing, executed primarily in graphite on off-white laid paper, a support which was subsequently edge mounted onto cream wove paper.

The handling of the graphite highlights David’s rigorous approach to portraiture and his commitment to classical form, characteristic of his later career in France. David, the preeminent Neoclassical painter of his era, often created such highly detailed preparatory drawings to solidify composition, anatomy, or, in this case, the specific character of the sitter. The precision of the line work and subtle tonal variation achieved solely through graphite reinforces the gravity and intellectualism associated with this era of French art.

The subject, Alexandre Lenoir (1761-1839), was a prominent and historically significant figure, known best as an archaeologist and for his pivotal role in establishing and administering the Musée des Monuments Français during the Revolutionary and subsequent Napoleonic periods. This study serves as both a detailed characterization of Lenoir and as important historical documentation.

Though the exact purpose within David’s larger body of work spanning 1805 to 1822 remains subject to scholarly interpretation, the high degree of finish suggests either a planned painting or a finished portrait study in its own right. This impressive example of French draftsmanship is preserved in the comprehensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains a key artifact demonstrating the mastery of 1748-1825. Like many preparatory works by David, high-quality prints of the study are frequently referenced in art historical publications.