Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres drew with a perfect, flowing line. His portraits are cool and polished, with smooth skin, glossy silks and precise detail, and his nudes, like the Grande Odalisque, stretch the body into long, graceful curves.

Born in Montauban, he trained with Jacques-Louis David and won the Prix de Rome in 1801. He spent many years in Rome and Florence, returned to Paris in 1824 and became the leader of the classical tradition against the Romantics. He directed the French Academy in Rome from 1835 to 1841. His portraits of Monsieur Bertin, Madame Moitessier and the Baronne James de Rothschild are among his best. The Musée Ingres in Montauban holds thousands of his drawings.

The Baronne de Rothschild shows his skill with fabric and a relaxed pose. Look at the smooth surface, with no visible brushstrokes.