Ingres's Comtesse d'Haussonville

WhenJean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780 1867) was asked to paint a portrait ofLouise de Broglie, Comtesse d'Haussonville (1818-1882), he was in his sixtiesand the leader of the neoclassical school. He had little interest in paintingsociety portraits of wealthy young women, but he could not resist. Over thecourse of three years, he laboured over getting this portrait just right,producing some eighty preparatory drawings.Ingres presents ascene of casual intimacy, as if Louise has just returned home from the opera:her yellow shawl is tossed on the chair at right; her black opera glasses areplaced on the mantel; her bright blue evening bag is draped on the mountedporcelain vase behind her. Her gold bracelet and ring are inset withfashionable turquoise, the snake-shaped ring made in a style called ala Cleopatre. Louise was an accomplished writer, though she publishedanonymously, as requested by her diplomat and politician husband.Louise treasured thisportrait, which was listed among her possessions in her will, second only tothe family chateau at Coppet, in Switzerland.