One of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’ most iconic oil on canvas paintings is that of Comtesse Louise De Broglie, Countesse D’Haussonville, which was created in 1845 and currently resides at the Frick Collection. Comtesse D’Haussonville had belonged to the notable House of Broglie and was the wife of Albert De Broglie for whom the painting was made. The painting took three years for artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres to complete.
When looking at the figure in Comtesse D’Haussonville, one can sense its mannered sweetness, with her head slightly bent forward signifying her submissive attitude towards her husband. The brushwork is also characterized by a smooth texture with cotton paint layers juxtaposed against an opaque earthy layer giving it an overall soft finish. It appears gentle, but this effect is unfortunately deceiving as behind these pink walls may dwell certain forms of oppressive behavior towards women during those times.
This particular artwork by Ingres has been used as a reference point for so many other later works like Le Bain Turc which was created in 1862 and yet again celebrated for its expert display of womanliness and beauty. This further highlights his capability in terms of conveying emotions through his artwork and we get to learn a lot more about his craft through contributions like this one – Louise De Broglie Countesse D’Haussonville.
