Pierre Alexandre Tardieu

The detailed drawing Pierre Alexandre Tardieu by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (French, 1780-1867) is an exquisite example of nineteenth-century French draftsmanship, showcasing the artist’s mastery of the linear tradition. Classified as a Drawing, the work was executed primarily in graphite on cream wove paper. To ensure its stability and permanence, the original sheet was meticulously laid down onto ivory laid paper, and further stabilized by being stretched on a wooden stretcher. This extensive preparation suggests the value Ingres placed on the study, treating it not merely as a preparatory sketch but as a finished artistic statement.

Created during the expansive period of 1815 to 1867, this piece highlights Ingres’s enduring engagement with portraiture throughout his long career. The artist, a leading figure of French Neoclassicism, utilized the precise medium of graphite to capture the essential character and refined features of the sitter. Ingres’s drawings, renowned for their accuracy and delicate shading, often functioned as completed records of his subjects or as models for later engravings and prints.

The work is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it contributes to the museum’s significant holdings of 19th-century French art on paper. The enduring power of Ingres's draftsmanship ensures that studies like Pierre Alexandre Tardieu continue to be the subject of art historical research, providing valuable insight into the methods of one of France’s most influential masters.