Study for the Portrait of Louis-François Bertin (1766–1841)

The Study for the Portrait of Louis-François Bertin (1766–1841) by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres is a crucial preparatory sketch leading up to the artist's famed 1832 oil painting of the same subject. Executed primarily in black chalk and graphite, this powerful drawing captures the likeness and imposing character of Louis-François Bertin, a highly influential French journalist and media owner during the July Monarchy. This preliminary work establishes the commanding, seated posture that defines the final portrait, emphasizing the sitter’s gravitas and self-assurance.

Ingres, celebrated for his rigorous Neoclassical style and unparalleled mastery of line, uses the medium to map out the foundational forms of the composition. The careful application of black chalk provides depth and texture, particularly in suggesting the volume of the figure and the folds of Bertin's voluminous coat, while graphite is used to refine the contours and capture the intensity of the gaze. This focus on line over heavy shading highlights the artist's draftsmanship, offering essential insight into how Ingres constructed his celebrated full-scale canvases.

As a significant example of nineteenth-century men’s portraiture, this drawing demonstrates the systematic approach Ingres took when developing major commissions across his long career (1795-1867). This historical work resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through the museum’s commitment to accessibility, many of Ingres’s studies, including this preparatory drawing, are often made available in the public domain, allowing scholars and enthusiasts worldwide to examine the technical brilliance preceding the finished masterpiece.