Antiochus and Stratonice

Antiochus and Stratonice by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is a highly significant oil on linen painting created between 1833 and 1843. This masterwork exemplifies the French Neoclassical tradition, showcasing the artist’s characteristic dedication to impeccable line, clarity of form, and historical narrative. The long gestation period of the canvas reflects Ingres's deep commitment to perfecting the composition and execution.

The scene derives from Plutarch's account of the Hellenistic period, capturing the moment of dramatic revelation involving Prince Antiochus, who is mysteriously wasting away. The physician Erasistratus diagnoses the prince’s fatal illness as lovesickness for his young stepmother, Stratonice. Ingres expertly arranges the figures to maximize the emotional tension: the faint prince, the anxious father Seleucus, and the beautiful, innocent Stratonice, who stands unaware of the havoc her presence creates. The painting’s controlled palette and meticulous rendering of classical architecture and drapery emphasize Ingres's academic rigor.

As one of the most celebrated figures in 19th-century French art, Ingres returned to the theme of Antiochus and Stratonice repeatedly throughout his career, making it a definitive example of his fascination with classical subject matter and psychological drama. The enduring power of this work has ensured its wide recognition; high-quality prints and digital reproductions are available through various public domain collections, attesting to its continued influence. This major canvas resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it serves as a critical example of Ingres’s mature painting style and the pinnacle of Neoclassicism in France.