Le Père Desmarets

This portrait of Le Pere Desmarets from 1805 at the Musee des Augustins in Toulouse is among Ingres's earliest portrait commissions. Even at this early stage, his portraits show the penetrating observation and polished technique that would make him the greatest portraitist of 19th-century France. His portraits are celebrated for their combination of photographic precision and subtle psychological penetration, and remain among the greatest achievements of nineteenth-century European painting.

The portrait presents the elderly sitter with careful attention to the character revealed in his features. Ingres's smooth handling and precise contours create a vivid character study.