General Louis-Étienne Dulong de Rosnay

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

1818 · Graphite (hard and soft pencils) on wove paper with slightly browned edges · Drawings and Prints

Ingres’s portrait of Dulong de Rosnay is exceptional in its detailed recording of the sitter’s dress and accessories—areas the artist usually treated in a summary manner. This specificity is appropriate, as Dulong de Rosnay’s identity and rank (a decorated general, he was later named Baron de l’Empire) are expressed through his attire. His military uniform and the medallions that emblazon his chest signal his valor and service to the empire of Napoleon I, while his sword and arm sling tell of the brave battles he fought and the wounds he endured.

Artist

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

Date

1818

Medium

Graphite (hard and soft pencils) on wove paper with slightly browned edges

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2012