The Hand of Poussin, after Ingres

The Hand of Poussin, after Ingres by Georges Seurat is a highly informative early drawing, executed in graphite between 1875 and 1877. This period corresponds to Seurat's tenure at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where traditional academic training mandated that students copy masterpieces by revered artists to internalize the principles of form, composition, and draftsmanship. The choice of subject, derived from Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, reflects a chain of classical influence, as Ingres himself championed the strict linear clarity derived from Renaissance masters and figures like Nicolas Poussin.

The work stands as a testament to the rigorous foundations Seurat absorbed before innovating his characteristic Divisionist style. Executed with delicate precision, the graphite technique highlights the artist’s intense focus on contour and volumetric rendering. The subject matter—isolated Hands—was critical in academic training, demanding precise anatomical understanding and skill in modeling complex, foreshortened forms. Seurat meticulously translates the subtle shading and structure of the human hand, demonstrating his growing command over the medium and his respect for the linear tradition espoused by Ingres.

This important piece provides crucial insight into the academic roots of a modernist pioneer. It is currently held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, safeguarding its place in the history of 19th-century French art. As a landmark study by Seurat, images of this work are frequently shared in the public domain, allowing students and collectors worldwide to analyze the drawing technique. High-quality prints derived from the museum’s resources ensure the detail of Seurat’s early handling of graphite is widely accessible for study.