The artwork “Study for the Apotheosis of Homer, Homer’s feet” is a portrait created by the French artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres between 1826 and 1827. This work is rendered in the Neoclassical style, which was characteristic of the period and showcased a deep admiration for the classical art forms of ancient Greece and Rome.
This particular piece of artwork focuses on a very specific part of Homer: his feet. The feet are depicted with meticulous detail, highlighting the artist’s dedicated observation and the importance of classical perfection in form. The feet are bare, with well-defined toes and heels, suggesting the physicality and human nature of the figure portrayed. Drapery is seen just above the feet, cascading down and adding a textural contrast to the smoothness of the skin. The attention to detail and the rendering of flesh and fabric textures are typical of Neoclassical striving for clarity and idealized beauty. This study may have served as a preliminary sketch for a larger, more complex composition, capturing the artist’s initial considerations and approach to the subtleties of human anatomy.