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Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
(1780-1867)
Jean-August-Dominique Ingres is a French neo-classical painter, and one of the major portrait painters of the 19th century. He received his first lessons in art and music from his father, Joseph Ingres (1755-1814), miniature-artist and sculptor. In 1791, he entered the Royal Academy of Arts in Toulouse, where his teachers were J. Vigan and G. Roques. Simultaneously he took violin lessons, and played in the local orchestra. After 1797, Ingres was in Paris, in the studio of David. He resolutely studied principles of composition and human anatomy. In 1801, he got a Roman prize for his picture Ambassadors of Agamemnon and could go to Italy to continue his education. Because of financial problems he stayed in Paris till 1806; during the period he executed a number of bright and expressive portraits; Portrait of Napol谷on on the Imperial Throne, Self-Portrait, Portrait of Mademoiselle Rivi豕re. The model on every painting is portrayed on a large scale, and takes all the space of the canvas. Ingres was reproached for imitation of Gothic masters and Jan van Eyck.
From 1806 till 1824, the painter lived in Italy, first in Rome (1806-1820), then for four years in Florence; he worked and studied the art of Renaissance; Raphael was his idol. His fame as a portraitist grew; his commissions increased. In 1807-24, he painted a lot of portraits: his masterpiece - beautiful and mysterious Mme Duvau?ay, a mistress of d＊Alquier, the French ambassador in Saint-Si豕ge; Portrait of Joseph-Antoine Moltedo, Portrait of Charles-Joseph-Laurent Cordier, Portrait of Count Nikolay Gouriev, etc.
In 1813, Ingres married Mlle Madeleine Chapelle (died in 1849), a modest milliner from Gu谷ret, see her portrait Madame Ingres. In 1813-14, in Rome he painted his popular La Grande Odalisque. The picture was commissioned by the Queen of Naples, Napoleon＊s sister, but never delivered, since the Emperor＊s fall intervened. Ingres remained in Rome but sent the picture to the Paris Salon in 1819.
In 1824, Ingres returned to Paris and showed Vow of Louis XIII (Montauban, Cathedral) in the Salon. This canvas brought him official recognition and fame: he was elected in the Academy, and awarded the Order of Honor. His very long stay in Italy and fondness of the Renaissance made him miss out on the formation of Romantic painting in France. On his return he could not understand Romanticism and became its violent opponent. From now on Ingres was looked upon as a foothold and the hope of classicism. In 1835, he returned to Italy as Director of the French Academy of Arts in Rome (1835-1841). At the end of his directorship, he came back to France. In Paris a great welcoming parade was held in his honor. The king himself invited Ingres to the V.... |
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