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| Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780–1867) | ||||||||||
| A French historical painter, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was born in Montauban and became the leading exponent of the classical tradition in 19th-century France. Initially, his father, a sculptor, aimed for him to pursue a career in music, where Ingres showed early promise. However, painting ultimately became his true calling. He received his early training from Roques, a pupil of Vien, and other local teachers before moving to Paris in 1796 to study under Jacques-Louis David. His first notable success came in 1800 when Antiochus Sending Back the Son of Scipio Africanus earned him second place in the Prix de Rome competition, followed by a first-place win in 1801 for Achilles Receiving the Ambassadors of Agamemnon. After a falling out with David, Ingres moved to Rome in 1806, where his unique style began to take shape, influenced heavily by Raphael. In Rome, he painted many of his famous nudes, including Baigneuse and La Source, the latter exhibited at the 1862 International Exhibition in London, and worked on frescoes for the Monte Cavallo palace. Despite his growing recognition abroad, his works sent to Paris were poorly received, except by Delacroix, whose Romanticism Ingres despised. Known for his exceptional draughtsmanship, Ingres held that 'A thing well drawn is well enough painted', placing less emphasis on facial character or colour. His historical works, such as Paolo and Francesca in 1819 and The Oath of Louis XIII for Montauban Cathedral, played a role in reconciling Classicism and Romanticism in French art. After four years in Florence, he returned to Paris in 1820, where he became the leader of the Classicists in opposition to the Romanticists. In 1826, he was appointed professor at the Académie. His Apotheosis of Homer on the ceiling of the Louvre was well-received, though The Martyrdom of St Symphorian in 1834 at Autun Cathedral met with less approval. From 1834 to 1841, he served as director of the French Academy in Rome. Works such as Stratonice, Vierge à l’hostie, and Odalisque à l’esclave renewed his popularity in Paris. Upon his return in 1841, he was honoured with a celebratory banquet, and his works began to command high prices. In 1845, Ingres was made Commander of the Legion of Honour, and in 1855, Grand Officer. A dedicated exhibition of his work was held at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1855, where both he and Delacroix received gold medals. In 1862, Ingres was made a senator. Continuing to work well into his seventies, he completed La Source in 1856 at the age of seventy-five and painted until just a week before his death in 1867 in Paris. | ||||||||||
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Art
