The artwork “Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta” by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, created in 1819, is an oil on canvas exemplifying the neoclassical movement. This portrait is housed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Angers in Angers, France. The neoclassical style is notable for its focus on classical themes and subjects, as well as its idealization of the human form and emphasis on clear composition and line.
The artwork portrays the tragic lovers Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta from Dante’s “Inferno.” On the left, a woman in a flowing red dress sits delicately, her pose passive and body slightly tilted, exuding a sense of vulnerability. Her modest gaze is turned downwards while a book slips from her grasp, subtly symbolizing the lovers’ story found in literature. A man identified as Paolo, dressed in a blue tunic with yellow stockings, leans over to affectionately kiss her on the cheek. His posture suggests a protective and passionate embrace.
In stark contrast to the tender scene of the embracing pair, a third figure – Francesco’s husband and Paolo’s brother, Gianciotto Malatesta – looms in the background, shrouded in a dark cloak. His presence serves as a portent of the tragic fate the clandestine lovers ultimately face. The setting features distinctly linear architecture and a richly patterned backdrop of a curtain, both hallmarks of Ingres’ meticulous attention to detail and neoclassical influence.