Portrait de Madame de Senonnes

Painted in Rome in 1814, this portrait of Marie-Geneviève-Marguerite de Lacoste, Vicomtesse de Senonnes, is considered one of Ingres's finest female portraits. The sitter was the young wife of a Napoleonic official. The work remained in private hands until acquired by the Nantes museum in 1853. Executed in oil on canvas with the clear, controlled technique that Neoclassicism demanded, the work reflects the era's turn away from Rococo frivolity toward moral seriousness and formal restraint....

The luminous rendering of the red velvet sofa against the mirror creates a sumptuous atmosphere. Ingres's meticulous treatment of the sitter's lace collar and jewelry demonstrates his unrivaled skill in depicting textiles and accessories.