Madame Moitessier, Seated

A Portrait for Posterity

by

Honors World History and World Literature 10

October 31, 2013

Madame Moitessier, Seated, A Portrait for Posterity

Controlling Purpose: This paper will present an analysis of Madame Moitessier, Seated. It will

explore the artist of the portrait and the story and fundamentals behind the painting.

I. Introduction

II. The Artist

A. Early Life

B. Artistic Education

C. Influences

III. The Painting

A. The Basics

B. The Style

C. The Story

D. The Setting

IV. Composition of the Painting

A. Color and Lighting

B. Arrangement of People and Objects

V. Message and Symbolism of the Painting

VI. Conclusion

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1

Madame Moitessier, Seated

A Portrait for Posterity

Introduction

Thephile Gautier watched Madame Moitessier pose for Ingress painting, and according

to Gautier, Never did beauty more regal, more magnificent, more stately, and of a more

Junoesque type, offer its proud lines to the tremulous pencil of an artist (Study of Madame

Moitessier). The opulence and delicacy it exhibits, such perfection among ambiguities, can

only be discovered among Ingress portraits. The fullness of his brush, his steadfast

Neoclassicism, perfectionism, and undetached emotion give way to a powerful portrait which not

only portrays the sitter but divulges her personality within her natural splendor, wealth, and

gentle yet enthralling influence.

The Artist

On the 29th

of August 1780, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was born in the small

provincial town of Montauban located in southern France (Grimme 13). Ingres was the eldest of

seven children born to Jean-Marie-Joseph Ingres (Grimme 29). With such a large family,

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Ingress father had to gain income from various jobs. Luckily, Jean-Marie-Joseph Ingres was a

man of many trades. He was an amateur painter, a sculptor, and an architect. He also managed

his own workshop. Ingress first paintings were produced in this workshop under the instruction

of his father who reinforced his sons artistic study. As a child Ingres often used his siblings and

other family members as models for his portraits (Grimme 13).

Interestingly, Ingress beginnings as an artist coincided with the French Revolution of

1789 and the years after it (Grimme 13). The French Revolution of 1789 was of eminent

importance in Ingress life. Because of the French Revolution, Ingres had to stop the formal

schooling he had begun in Montauban at the Ecole des Fretes lEducation Chretiene (School of

the Christian Brothers). In 1791 the school closed and Ingres reached the end of his formal

schooling. The lack of formal education Ingres received kindled feelings of limitation and

insecurity in him and caused him to become a perfectionist. (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique-

Ingres: Madame Moitessier 1856).

Fortunately, Ingress lack of formal schooling varied increasingly from the artistic

education he acquired throughout his life. At the age of eleven, Ingres entered the Academie

Royal de Pinture, Sculpture et Architecture (Royal Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and

Architecture) in Toulouse with the assistance of his encouraging father (Smith 187). In the

academy Ingres acquired the traditional artistic training of the day. He copied old masters and

painted works using models. Ingress magnificent performance in the school brought him many

awards and acknowledgements. These awards later helped him develop his artistic career

(Grimme 13). After finishing at the academy in Toulouse in 1797, Ingres became a pupil of the

Parisian atelier (studio) of Jacques-Louis David (Grimme 14). Davids studio was considered an

exceptional and rewarding sanctum of artistic study during the French Revolution and the

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imperial period of Napolon I in France. Ingress studies with David thus proved to be very

beneficial and influential to his artistic style and development. In the years that followed, 1806-

1810, Ingres continued his studies in the Academie de France (Academy of France) in Rome to

which he received a scholarship after winning the Prix de Rome (Prize of Rome) competition

(Grimme 14).

As a result, much can be observed from Ingress lengthy and successful artistic

education. For instance, throughout the progression of his studies, Ingres began to show

favoritism in subjects concerning mythology and antiquity (Grimme 27) (Clark 126-127). He

developed a lucid organization and a custom of outlining the people and objects in his paintings

(Grimme 14). Most importantly, Ingres became a steadfast adherent of the Neo-classical art

style (Mohun 266). Ingress preferences and ideas that developed throughout his artistic

education can be attributed to the following components: the great artist of the High

Renaissance, Raphael; the classical antiquity of the Greco-Roman world; and the instruction

he received from Jacques-Louis David (Grimme 27) (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique-Ingres:

Madame Moitessier 1856). In addition, social pressures and the three revolutions, which took

place during Ingres life, those of 1789, 1830, and 1848, impacted the type of paintings he

produced (Grimme 13).

During Ingress time, historical painting was viewed with greater merit than portraiture.

Consequently, Ingres wanted to be recognized as a historical painter (Grimme 14). Nevertheless,

when Ingres faced economic hardships, he turned to portraiture as his main source of income.

Ironic as it is, Ingress portraits have been the source of most of his exaltation throughout the

years and are articulate portrayals of his creed towards the Neoclassical style (Smith Jean-

Auguste-Dominique-Ingres: Madame Moitessier 1856).

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The Painting

The portrait of Marie-Clotilde-Ines Moitessier painted by Ingres is titled Madame

Moitessier, Seated (Grimme 47). This magnificent 120 by 92.1 centimeter oil on canvas portrait

is displayed in the National Gallery in London (Beckett 220). The portrait features Madame

Moitessier exclusively. It captivates the spectator with her grandiose and mesmeric glamor

provoking an elated and tangible emotion within her structured and linear, Neoclassical portrayal

(Grimme 58). The intensity the simple portrait offers is surprising and unexpected. Ingres, who

was acknowledged as a great adherent of the Neoclassical style during the 19th

century, clearly

upholds his title (Mohun 266). Therefore, the painting is visibly done in a Neoclassical style

(Grimme 16).

Neoclassicism which was widely used during the empire of Napolon and first

popularized in the 1820s (Mohun 266) (Ruskin 210), is a type of art style focused on rationality,

calmness, order, and solemnity (Grimme 16). Interestingly, Neoclassicism did not emerge from

France, but from Rome. It gradually became more dominant, challenging the Rococo art style in

the middle of the 18th

century and prevailed into the 19th

century (Mohun 206). As Neo-

classicisms fame swelled, it spread throughout multiple parts of Europe, including Germany and

Denmark, and even presented itself in some British works (Mohun 266). In the painting,

however, Ingres also encompasses orientalism. Orientalism is an art style of the 19th

century

which became popular in Britain and France during the imperial expansion. Most oriental

paintings are biased on western beliefs and are not valid representations of the eastern world

(Little 74-75). The mixture of these two styles, therefore, results in what Ingres called Ingrism

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within Neoclassicism. Ingress style is reinforced among many aspects of the portrait (Grimme

38).

The setting, for example, upholds many Neoclassical beliefs; it is organized and contains

linear structure (Grimme 16). In the portrait Madame Moitessier is seated in a lush seat and

surrounded by lavish objects. These items underline her character; they are not merely placed

there because of coincidence (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique-Ingres: Madame Moitessier

1856). In addition, the portrait is painted in a domestic interior which is Ingress representation

of Madame Moitessiers salon. This is all very reasonable; Ingres displays Madame Moitessier

in her wealthy and sumptuous opulence (Grimme 58). He, therefore, upholds the sincerity,

rationality, order, and calmness expected of Neoclassical paintings while still exhibiting traces of

the orientalist style within the intricate details of Madame Moitessiers attire and various

elements in the background of the portrait (Grimme 16, 58). Throughout the painting Ingres

used details of his sitters life, in this case Madame Moitessiers wealth and beauty to

characterize his sitter (Grimme 58).

Nevertheless, the portrait does not provide the viewer with a basic overview of Madame

Moitessiers identity, only a snippet of her personality (Grimme 58). Madame Marie-Clotilde-

Ins de Foucauld Moitessier was the young wife of a French banker, Sigisbert Moitessier (Smith

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1851). She was twenty-eight when Ingres

began painting her portrait in 1844 (Grimme 54) (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres:

Madame Moitessier-1851). Ingres had been approached by Sigisbert Moitessier, who wished the

painter to produce a portrait of his wife. Ingres, however, always believing portraits were not his

fort, was diffident to accept the commission (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame

Moitessier-1851). Yet, his position quickly changed upon meeting Madame Moitessier. He

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found Madame Moitessiers beauty enthralling and felt privileged to produce a portrayal of her

(Grimme 54) (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1851). Conse-

quently, Ingres began working on Madame Moitessiers portrait in 1844, yet it would take him

twelve years to conclude his masterpiece due to the personal trials he experienced (Grimme 58).

In 1849, Ingress first wife, Madeleine Ingres nee Chapelle, died. The death of his much

beloved wife caused Ingres to take a recess from his work on Madame Moitessiers portrait.

Interestingly, during this period Ingres embarked on a standing portrait of Madame Moitessier

which he began in 1851 and concluded in December of that same year (Grimme 54). It is

believed that he did this because Madame Moitessiers husband held great objection to Ingress

gradual progression of his wifes portrait (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame

Moitessier-1851). Nevertheless, Ingres did not like the result of Madame Moitessiers standing

portrait (Grimme 54). Luckily Ingres resumed his work on her seated portrait in April 1852

under the encouragement of his new wife, Delphine Ramel (Grimme 58). Ingres completed

Madame Moitessiers seated portrait in 1856 when the sitter was thirty-five years old (Smith

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1851). Though the portrait was completed

over a period of twelve years, it is alleged as one of Ingress finest portraits, an apotheosis of

Madame Moitessier (Grimme 61).

Composition of the Painting

The fascination the portrait divulges is the result of many years of work and

perfectionism on the artists part (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-

1856) (Mohun 266). Upon first inspection it is clear that Ingres spent much time deliberating

over the position, attire, and background of the painting (Grimme 58). According to Geoffrey

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Smith, Ingres surpassed even his mentor in his superfine finish and exquisite rendition of every

detail, be it jewel, fabric, glass or the refined quality of pampered feminine flesh (Smith Jean-

Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1856). The portrait is consequently lavished in

many details, Madame Moitessiers dress being the most intricate. She is dressed with Second

Empire opulence in flowered chintz. (Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique). The dress is

adorned with an elaborate number of tassels, embroidery, and ribbons colored with various cool

hues (Grimme 58). These varied tones impact the spectators eye and distract the viewer from the

dress dominating ivory color which lightens Madame Moitessiers expression and enhances the

opulence which surrounds her (Clark 88) (Grimme 58).

The elements visible in the domestic background of the painting are present but not

overbearing. The settings subdued colors produce a dim lighting making the objects in the

background more obsolete whereas Madame Moitessiers soft lush skin and sumptuous dress

acquire a heavenly radiance and make Madame Moitessier the focus of the painting (Grimme 58)

(Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1856). Madame Moitessier is

ageless like a goddess with her Grecian profile impossibly reflected in a mirror parallel to the

back of her head. (Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique). The position of the mirror, though

characteristic in providing a wider panorama of Madame Moitessiers surroundings, creates an

unrealistic reflection of her (Grimme 58).

Overall, Ingress skill at portraiture can now be compared to photographic realism

(Grimme 61). It is not surprising to be amazed by the almost immaculate quality of the painting

where a realistic transcription of the surfaces of fabrics, the fashionable parure of jewels,

ormolu frames, and oriental porcelain can be identified (Ingres, Jean-Auguste-Dominique).

Besides Ingress characteristic ambiguities, Madame Moitessiers realism is not dimmed and the

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domestic interior in which she is portrayed heightens her semblance of overwhelming power and

engrossing beauty making her seem utterly at ease (Grimme 58).

Message and Symbolism of the Painting

Madame Moitessiers clothing, posture, and surroundings provide the viewer with an

impression of a strong female figure, who accepts her lifestyle unquestionably, as though it

were her due. (Beckett 220). Ingres is able to diffuse such a message in coherency with his

philosophies of calm beauty and Neoclassicism. Such elements are demonstrated in the position

he places Madame Moitessier and the attire he gives her (Beckett 220).

Ingres portrays Madame Moitessier seated, semi-reclining on a resiliently buxom

horsehair settee with an almost nonexistent smile and her head resting on her forefinger,

probably derives from a Roman wall painting found at Herculaneum. (Smith Jean-Auguste-

Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1856) (Grimme 49-50). The opulence she portrays

transforms her into a goddess (Grimme 58). This is not surprising since Ingres fancied painting

mythology and often intertwined portraiture with historical painting (Clark 126-127). As a

result, many believe Madame Moitessier, Seated bears a likeness to the Roman goddess of

flowers and spring. This idea is reinforced by the varied cool tones and exultant details in the

painting (Grimme 58).

Interestingly, Ingres is not known for using a colorful palette, for he was famously

concerned with the primacy of line and the importance of drawing over color (Smith Jean-

Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1851). However, he uncharacteristically uses a

colorful palette in Madame Moitessiers portrait. Such an action is understood upon discovering

that Ingres had married Delphine Ramel and was then experiencing a new happiness (Grimme

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58). As a result, Ingress blissful emotions are continuously expressed amidst the painting and

contrast with his standing portrait of Madame Moitessier. In her standing portrait, painted in the

period after Ingress first wife had died, Madame Moitessier wears a solemn ball gown in a

magenta background. Such a choice in attire and stance reflect Ingress continual bereavement

which much later turns into glee (Grimme 58) (Smith Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres: Madame

Moitessier-1856).

Similarly, two vantage points of Madame Moitessier are portrayed in Madame

Moitessier, Seated. A carefree and blissful Madame Moitessier dominates the painting while the

reflection behind her gives way to an antique Grecian goddess providing further evidence of

Ingress Neoclassical style (Beckett 220). The depiction of Madame Moitessiers reflection

reveals a mysterious world and evokes a sense of tentative horror on the spectators behalf

(Grimme 58). It is therefore evident that Ingress pictorial world is populated by phantoms and

fantastical creatures that are not always recognizable as such by sight, (Grimme 24) while his

coherent Neoclassical style and meticulous details are well-defined and not in the least

disregarded (Grimme 58).

Conclusion

Ingress portrait of Madame Moitessier is enthralling. It intertwines simplicity and

opulence while depicting the intensity of Madame Moitessiers latent emotions. The portrait

consequently, captivates and perplexes the spectator. Yet, what more could be expected of

Ingres? Ingres showed not only the physical appearance but also the persons complete

personality (Grimme 61). He, having spent twelve years refining his slightest errors and

deliberate ambiguities, concluded the portrait at the age of seventy-six (Smith Jean-Auguste-

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Dominique Ingres: Madame Moitessier-1856). Ingres, therefore, not only painted an apotheosis

of Madame Moitessier but also produced a portrait for posterity.

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