The artwork titled “Study of the naked holy Isabella of France” is attributed to the renowned artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, a prominent figure within the Neoclassicism movement. The piece is a religious painting, modest in scale, with dimensions measuring 37.5 by 17.2 centimeters. Ingres’ work often reflects the aesthetic ideals of Neoclassicism, characterized by a fondness for the virtues of antiquity, emphasizing clarity of form, and utilizing subject matters derived from classical history and mythology.
This particular artwork presents a full-length figure study of a woman who stands frontally, her body symmetrically positioned. The figure is depicted nude with a composed and solemn expression, indicative of her sanctity. Her hands are delicately clasped together in an act of prayer, situated at the center of her chest, just below her collarbones.
The artistic techniques exhibited in the artwork are meticulous with distinctly fine lines that contour her body, revealing a deep understanding of human anatomy—a characteristic aspect of Ingres’s drawing mastery. Such studies were essential for artists of the time to master the depiction of the human form for more complex compositions. Details of the figure’s musculature and the soft subtleties of her form suggest a gentle treatment of the subject with an almost idealized perfection, aligning with the Neoclassical pursuit of beauty through the recreation of classical ideals.
The position of the figure, along with the measured, almost geometric precision of the depiction, imbues the artwork with a sense of serenity and grace. The modest dimensions of the work suggest it may have been a preparatory study for a larger composition, allowing the artist to perfect the portrayal of religious piety and human form.