Four Magistrates of Besançon (Quatre magistrats de Besançon)

The work Four Magistrates of Besançon (Quatre magistrats de Besançon), created by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in 1825, exemplifies his precise approach to portraiture translated through the graphic arts. This striking example of French printmaking was executed as a lithograph on wove paper, showcasing the technical versatility of the artist during the period of 1801 to 1825. While Ingres is widely celebrated as a master Neoclassicist in oil painting, his engagement with the rapidly developing lithographic technology demonstrates his willingness to adapt his meticulous draftsmanship to commercial and reproductive techniques.

The subject focuses on a highly formal group portrait of four distinguished municipal figures from the city of Besançon. This type of civic commission was essential during the post-Napoleonic Restoration era, serving to document and reinforce local institutional authority. Ingres brings his signature emphasis on clarity of line and compositional balance to the medium of the print. Unlike the soft, idealized modeling found in his oil works, this piece showcases the sharp graphic potential of black and white contrast and the meticulous hatching necessary for successful lithography. Ingres uses the dense, absorbent quality offered by the wove paper to enhance the sense of textural detail in the magistrates’ heavy drapery and facial characteristics.

Classified formally as a Print, this significant work documenting 19th-century French officialdom is housed in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. The continued study of historical prints, particularly those by masters such as Ingres, ensures that his contributions across media remain central to art historical understanding. This specific impression is important for tracing the chronological scope of Ingres’s career, confirming his mastery of portraiture even in media outside his conventional practice.