La Foi

La Foi (Faith) from 1842 at the Louvre is a companion piece to Hope, forming part of an allegorical series of theological virtues. Ingres's commitment to ideal beauty found natural expression in these personifications, which combined classical form with Christian symbolism. Ingres built his oil surfaces through meticulous underdrawing in graphite, then applied smooth, controlled layers that eliminated all visible brushwork—a deliberate rejection of the painterly Romantic style of Delacroix.

The allegorical figure is rendered with Ingres's smooth, polished technique and precise contours. The idealized form and controlled palette create a visual embodiment of the theological virtue.