Madame Moitessier
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · 1856
Why it's great
A wealthy lady in a pale flowered dress sits with an amazing calm gaze, in a gleaming gilt room. Ingres painted her twice; this is the seated one, with her chin on her hand. He labored for years to get the textures of silk and jewels perfect. It's one of the greatest portraits of the 1800s.
Where to see it
📍 National GalleryLondon, United Kingdom
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was born in Montauban, in southern France, and trained under David in Paris. He spent many years in Italy and in the end died in Paris. He believed in the power of clean, elegant outlines and was a master of portraits. He was also a fine violin player, and the phrase 'Ingres's violin' came to mean a talented hobby.
