Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny

The print Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (French, 1780-1867) is an exemplary work dating from 1816. Classified as a print, this piece utilizes the delicate etching technique on cream wove paper, demonstrating Ingres’s technical skill in graphic arts beyond his celebrated oil paintings. Created while the artist was residing in Rome, the work reflects his sustained engagement with French subjects and the prevailing classical style of the era.

Ingres was primarily a portraitist, meticulously capturing the likenesses of influential figures across the Napoleonic and Restoration periods. Although celebrated for his large-scale neoclassical canvases, his graphic works, such as this etching, reveal his masterful command of line and form essential to classical draughtsmanship. The sharp precision achieved by the etching needle allows Ingres to render the sitter’s features and attire with absolute clarity, adhering to the severe, pure lines characteristic of French Neoclassicism, a movement he championed against the rising Romantic style.

The resulting portrait captures the formality expected of an early 19th-century figure of importance. This particular impression is held within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As one of the key prints produced by Ingres during his Italian period, it offers valuable insight into the graphic output of the master. Due to its age and historical significance, visual reproductions of this artwork are frequently made available to scholars and the public through initiatives like public domain collections, ensuring the legacy of Ingres remains accessible.