Portrait of a Lady

Portrait of a Lady is a refined drawing created by the French Neoclassical master Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres between 1810 and 1820. The work is rendered exquisitely in graphite, a medium Ingres highly favored for capturing the intimate details and precise contours of his sitters. Ingres was renowned for his academic rigor and mastery of line, and this study exemplifies his unique ability to define form and character with economic precision.

The unidentified subject, one of the many women Ingres immortalized during his career, is depicted with serene clarity, reflecting the classical ideals that dominated the artist's style. Created during a period when Ingres was actively working in Rome, these portrait studies often served either as preparatory sketches for grander oil paintings or as highly valued private commissions documenting the European elite. Unlike many of his contemporaries who embraced emerging Romantic trends, Ingres maintained a commitment to strict draughtsmanship, allowing the subtle nuances of his pencil work to convey both personality and elegance.

This study of feminine grace and psychological depth is held within the distinguished collection of drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, Portrait of a Lady, is a seminal example of the 19th-century portrait tradition and showcases Ingres’s sustained excellence in draftsmanship throughout the Napoleonic era. While the original graphite piece remains carefully preserved at the Met, the historical significance of the image places it firmly within the public domain, enabling the widespread production of high-quality prints that allow global audiences to study the masterful technique of Ingres.