Dr. Vignardonne
Antoine-Jean Gros·1827
Historical Context
Antoine-Jean Gros's portrait of Dr. Vignardonne, painted in 1827, depicts a medical professional during the period when Gros was increasingly devoted to portraiture and academic history painting rather than the Romantic battlefield scenes that had made his reputation. By the late 1820s, Gros was struggling to reconcile his natural Romantic instincts with the Neoclassical discipline he felt obligated to uphold as the heir of his master Jacques-Louis David.
Technical Analysis
Gros's portrait technique employs a warm, polished palette with careful attention to the doctor's features and expression. The academic finish and restrained composition reflect his late-career commitment to traditional portrait conventions, though the richness of his paint handling reveals his Romantic sensibility.
Provenance
The sitter [1780-1854]; the Vignardonne family until 1936; Dr. George Viau [1855-1939]; (his estate sale, part II, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 24 February 1943, no. 121, 15,000 francs). (Julius H. Weitzner [1896-1986], London and New York); sold 1 October 1954 to Chester Dale [1882-1962], New York; bequest 1963 to NGA.
See It In Person
More by Antoine-Jean Gros
Portrait of the Maistre Sisters
Antoine-Jean Gros·1796
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Egyptian Family (Sketch for "The Battle of the Pyramids")
Antoine-Jean Gros·c. 1835
Portrait of Count Jean-Antoine Chaptal
Antoine-Jean Gros·1824
General Jean-Baptiste Kléber and Egyptian Family (Sketches for "The Battle of the Pyramids")
Antoine-Jean Gros·c. 1835
