Portrait of Philippe-François-Didier Usquin (1757-1843)

Philippe-François-Didier Usquin, a French official and politician who served during the Napoleonic period, appears in this 1809 portrait at the Phoenix Art Museum. Girodet's portraits of Napoleonic officials document the new ruling class that emerged from the Revolution—men whose careers were made by talent and loyalty rather than birth. The portrait's journey to Arizona reflects the international dispersal of French Neoclassical paintings through the art market.

The portrait follows Neoclassical conventions of clarity and precision, with the sitter presented in official costume that establishes his rank and role. Girodet's drawing is characteristically firm, defining the features with the linear precision inherited from David. The palette balances the dark tones of official dress with the warmer flesh tones of the face.