Portrait of Frederick Sylvester Douglas

The Portrait of Frederick Sylvester Douglas by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, executed in 1815, is a compelling example of the artist's technical expertise in printmaking. While Ingres is justly renowned for his precise Neoclassical paintings and masterful drawings, this specific etching demonstrates his profound ability to capture character and form using the stark contrasts and linear quality inherent to the medium. The technique required Ingres to meticulously incise lines onto a copper plate, allowing for fine detail in the facial structure while defining the shape and texture of the sitter’s attire through varying densities of cross-hatching.

Created during a complex period in French history following the Napoleonic Wars, this detailed portrait study of a male sitter adheres to the rigorous draftsmanship characteristic of the academic tradition Ingres championed. The function of the work, common among portrait prints of the era, was likely to disseminate the likeness of the individual. Ingres’s attention ensures that the viewer’s focus remains intensely on the man, emphasizing the contours of the face and the psychological depth achievable even within the restrictive palette of black and white. This historically significant piece, classified among the master prints of the nineteenth century, is maintained within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today, high-resolution reproductions of such prints are often available through public domain resources, facilitating the study of Ingres's considerable technical versatility across different artistic disciplines.