Comtesse d'Haussonville

Ingres's Comtesse d'Haussonville of 1845 is among his greatest female portraits, depicting Louise de Broglie, Comtesse d'Haussonville, with the concentrated formal perfection that fifteen preparatory drawings allowed him to achieve. The countess's reflected image in the mantelpiece mirror, the careful still-life of letters on the shelf, and her characteristic pose — chin resting on fingers — create a study in self-contained feminine intelligence and social grace. The mirror reflection adds a spatial complexity unusual in Ingres's portraits, suggesting the inner life that social performance conceals.

The blue silk dress is rendered with extraordinary precision, its folds and reflections creating a symphony of cool tones. Ingres uses the mirror reflection to add spatial depth and the play of light on porcelain and silver objects demonstrates his virtuoso still-life skills.