Armand Bertin

The detailed graphite drawing, Armand Bertin, was executed by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1842. This remarkable work is a finely rendered portrait of the esteemed French journalist and newspaper editor, Armand Bertin (1788-1854), who served as the director of the influential Journal des Débats. This drawing, classified specifically as a finished study, exemplifies Ingres’s profound commitment to the clarity of line over the application of color, a defining characteristic of his Neoclassical approach to depicting prominent men of influence during the July Monarchy.

Ingres utilized graphite with meticulous precision, rendering the subtle textures of the sitter’s clothing and the strong contours of his face. The precision of the line work ensures that the viewer’s focus remains squarely on the psychological presence and severe dignity of the subject. While Ingres is renowned for his grand oil portraits, the artist frequently employed drawing, particularly in his later career, producing standalone graphic works that rivaled the detail of his paintings. The drawing style demonstrates Ingres’s adherence to classical ideals, emphasizing clarity, equilibrium, and flawless execution over spontaneous expression.

This important example of 19th-century French portraiture resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a key reference point for understanding Ingres’s mastery of the pencil portrait. Although the original oil portrait of Bertin, completed in 1832, is widely known, this drawing provides a powerful, immediate study of the man’s character. To ensure wider access to these foundational works of art history, high-quality prints and digital reproductions derived from institutional collections often enter the public domain, allowing scholars and enthusiasts globally to study the refined technique displayed in Ingres's masterful drawing.