Portrait de Mounet-Sully (Jean-Sully Mounet, 1841-1916, dit), sociétaire de la Comédie-Française

Théobald Chartran's portrait of Mounet-Sully (Jean-Sully Mounet, 1841–1916) as a sociétaire of the Comédie-Française (1885) depicts the institution's greatest tragic actor — universally regarded as the supreme interpreter of the classical French tragic repertoire, particularly in the title role of Oedipus. Mounet-Sully's theatrical persona — his physical grandeur, his voice, his overwhelming emotional power — made him a legendary figure in French cultural life, and Chartran's portrait captures him at the height of his powers. He would later be one of the earliest theatrical figures to be recorded on film. The work is in the Musée Carnavalet.

Chartran captures Mounet-Sully's imposing physical presence — the actor was known for his powerful build as well as his voice — with appropriate compositional weight. The portrait conveys both the individual and the theatrical titan, using lighting and bearing to project theatrical authority. The handling is assured and reverential.