Madame Désiré Raoul-Rochette

Madame Désiré Raoul-Rochette is a meticulous drawing created by the French Neoclassical master Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in 1830. Classified as a finished drawing rather than a preparatory sketch, this piece exemplifies Ingres’s unparalleled skill in draftsmanship, which he considered the foundational element of all artistic endeavor. Executed in graphite on cream wove paper, the artwork captures the likeness of Madame Raoul-Rochette with characteristic precision and clarity.

The use of graphite allows Ingres to achieve extraordinary subtlety in modeling and outline, focusing keenly on the sitter's dignified expression and detailed clothing. Unlike many artists of his time who embraced Romantic dynamism, Ingres maintained a strict commitment to linear purity and form derived from Classical ideals. This dedication to the contour is evident in the precise rendering of the subject’s face and the elegant definition of her elaborate bonnet and patterned dress. This drawing, produced in France during a highly productive period for the artist, showcases Ingres’s ability to convey the character and social standing of the sitter through economical and definitive means.

Ingres often produced finished graphite portraits like Madame Désiré Raoul-Rochette for patrons, works valued independently for their intimate detail and technical brilliance. Dated 1830, this work offers insight into the aesthetics and bourgeois society of Restoration France. This important example of French academic drawing is housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because of its artistic and historical significance, the drawing is frequently referenced in academic studies, and high-quality prints of this masterwork are often made available through the public domain.