Study for Phidias in the Apotheosis of Homer

This study for Phidias in the Apotheosis of Homer from 1827 shows the great Athenian sculptor as one of the classical figures paying homage to Homer. By including artists and architects alongside poets and philosophers, Ingres asserted the unity of all classical arts under Homer's inspiration. 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...

The figure study demonstrates Ingres's precise handling of the classical figure in his characteristic idealized manner. The smooth surface and controlled contours embody his vision of artistic perfection.