Study for Joan of Arc, and Sketches of Hands

The detailed drawing, Study for Joan of Arc, and Sketches of Hands by Jean–Auguste–Dominique Ingres French, 1780–1867, dates from the extended period of 1841 to 1854. This graphite composition on tan wove tracing paper, meticulously laid down onto multiple paper and board supports, served as a crucial preparatory work for Ingres’s ambitious large-scale oil painting, Joan of Arc at the Coronation of Charles VII, completed in 1854 and now housed in the Louvre. This drawing is essential for understanding the deliberate, refined artistic process characteristic of the French academic tradition in the mid-19th century.

Ingres utilized graphite on tracing paper, a medium that allowed him to refine specific details and transfer them precisely to the final canvas. The sheet is characterized by the central study of the historical heroine’s figure, likely detailing her armor and posture, accompanied by several precise sketches of hands positioned in various gestures. These secondary anatomical studies highlight Ingres’s enduring Neo-Classical commitment to idealized form and precision, emphasizing line over color.

Produced in France, this work showcases the mastery of draftsmanship that established Ingres as the leading exponent of classicism in opposition to the rising Romantic movement of the era. As a vital artifact from the period, the study illuminates the rigorous techniques employed by major 19th-century masters. This significant drawing resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering scholars and enthusiasts insight into the formal development of one of Ingres’s most powerful and historically charged paintings. High-quality prints of the artist’s preparatory works are widely accessible, often available through public domain initiatives.