Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840)

Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres captures the celebrated Italian violinist and composer during the height of his international fame. The creation period, spanning 1818 to 1831, suggests that Ingres developed and refined this important portrait over a significant period, likely utilizing preliminary studies conducted during their time in Rome.

This remarkable drawing is a complex example of Ingres’s working methods. Classified as a preparatory study, the medium is described as a counterproof or tracing, subsequently strengthened with precise applications of graphite and touches of white gouache on translucent paper. This specialized technique allowed Ingres to transfer or perfect the essential lines of the composition, focusing intensely on the unique physiognomy of the musician while maintaining the immediacy characteristic of a sketch.

Paganini, one of the most famous men in 19th-century Europe, is depicted here in a powerful likeness that foregrounds his intensity. The work integrates key tags, presenting the legendary musician holding his violin, the instrument that defined his revolutionary style. Ingres, a master of neoclassical portraiture, was deeply dedicated to line and form, and this drawing exemplifies his talent for capturing both physical accuracy and psychological depth.

The work is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Studies like the one depicting Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) offer invaluable insight into Ingres’s artistic process. High-resolution images of this drawing are frequently shared through museum and public domain archives, ensuring widespread availability for study and appreciation.