The artwork titled “Portrait of Count Nikolay Gouriev” is a distinguished painting by the artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, completed in the year 1821. This oil on canvas artwork stands as a testament to the Neoclassicism movement, measuring 86 by 107 centimeters. The portrait falls within the genre of portraiture and is presently housed at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The artwork showcases a half-length representation of Count Nikolay Gouriev, who appears confidently posed against a background of a dramatic landscape and stormy skies, striking a balance between the human subject and nature. His body is turned slightly, but he looks directly at the viewer with a penetrating gaze that implies a self-assured and formidable character. The Count sports a dark, elegant attire enriched by a vibrant red cloak that drapes over his arm and shoulder, providing a splash of color that contrasts with his pale complexion and the dark tones of his ensemble. A hint of landscape with a lush tree line under an overcast sky adds depth and opens the composition beyond the immediate presence of Count Gouriev, suggesting a narrative of both personal and broader historical contexts. Overall, Ingres’s skill in rendering the textures of the cloak, the delicate modeling of the face, and the interplay of colors make this work a prime example of the Neoclassical ideals of clarity, control, and dignified portrayal of its subject.