Portrait of Katherine Anne (North), Lady Glenbervie

The Portrait of Katherine Anne (North), Lady Glenbervie is an etching created by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1815. This print dates to the artist’s prolific period while working in Rome, where he frequently employed the precise line of drawing and etching to execute commissioned portraits of European elites and traveling dignitaries. The work captures Katherine Anne North, a notable figure among British society, during a time when Ingres was establishing his reputation for detailed and highly individualized likenesses of women.

As a print, the piece showcases Ingres’s characteristic emphasis on pure outline and classical restraint, principles central to his Neoclassical style. The etching technique allows for crisp, delicate lines, evident in the rendering of the sitter’s elaborate lace collar, patterned bodice, and tightly styled hair. Unlike his monumental oil compositions, this format relies solely on the stark contrast and linearity inherent to the print medium. Ingres masterfully captures Lady Glenbervie’s reserved expression and dignified posture, essential qualities in high-society portraits of the early 19th century.

Although Ingres is chiefly recognized for his large-scale oils, his extensive production of drawings and related prints, like this one, provides invaluable insight into his preparatory methods and ability to achieve a finished composition using line alone. Classified as a foundational example of 19th-century portraiture, this impressive print is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Given its age and cultural significance, the underlying reference material for this depiction of Lady Glenbervie is often found available through public domain initiatives, ensuring the study of Ingres's prints remains accessible to researchers globally.