Artwork
Mademoiselle Mary de Borderieux(?)
Mademoiselle Mary de Borderieux(?) is a watercolor drawing by the Impressionist artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. It dates from 1857 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Mademoiselle Mary de Borderieux(?
- Inscription
- Inscribed:center right in graphite: Ingres Del / 1857. signed & dated on the veil (right edge, center) in graphite: Ingres Del / 1857
About this work
Overview
Mademoiselle Mary de Borderieux(?), created in 1857 by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, is a graphite and watercolor drawing with white highlights, exemplifying the artist's Neoclassical approach to portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a serene woman with a direct gaze, her features and attire conveying modesty and quiet contemplation. Her expression, with slightly furrowed eyebrows, suggests a depth of thought.
Technique & Style
Ingres employed graphite and watercolor with white highlights to achieve subtle, nuanced rendering. Delicate shading creates depth and volume, focusing attention on the subject's face and expression, characteristic of his academic yet expressive technique.
History & Provenance
Created in 1857 by Ingres, a French Neoclassical painter who identified with the historical lineage of Poussin and David. The question mark in the title indicates uncertainty about the subject's full identity.
Context
This work reflects Ingres's Neoclassical roots while showcasing his portraiture skills, which would later influence modern artists like Matisse, particularly through his expressive, albeit subtle, distortions of form.
Legacy
Mademoiselle Mary de Borderieux(?) contributes to Ingres's enduring legacy in portraiture, demonstrating a balance between traditional academic principles and innovative, expressive techniques that anticipated future artistic movements.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a French Neoclassical painter. Ingres was profoundly influenced by past artistic traditions and aspired to become the guardian of academic orthodoxy against the ascendant Romantic…
