The portrait, Honorable Frederic Sylvester Douglas, created by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in 1815, represents a significant early example of the lithograph technique in French fine art. Produced during a period of intense artistic and political transition following the Napoleonic Wars, this print showcases Ingres’s characteristic precision in line work and his commitment to the formal structure of classical portraiture, even when adapted to a new reproductive medium.
As one of the first major artists to utilize lithography, Ingres demonstrates the medium's capacity for subtle tonal variation and texture, allowing for a delicate rendering of the sitter's facial features and the formal attire suitable for a man of his standing. This mastery of drawing translated effectively to the lithographic stone, enabling the artist to maintain the high standard of finish typical of his oil paintings while reaching a wider audience through prints.
Created in France, 1815 marked a crucial point in the artist’s career as he balanced his training within the Neoclassical tradition with emerging stylistic demands. Although known primarily for his canvases and highly finished graphite drawings, Ingres frequently employed printmaking to disseminate his celebrated portrait designs. This foundational work by the French master is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because this historical artwork is now frequently considered within the public domain, the details of Ingres’s printmaking technique remain widely available for scholarly study.
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