INGRES, Jean-Auguste-Dominique
(b. 1780, Montauban, d. 1867, Paris)

Portrait of Count Guryev

1821
Oil on canvas, 107 x 86 cm
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

In this portrait of a Russian diplomat, Ingres does not idealize his subject but uses him as a pretext for the expression of his own conception of the ideal. Despite being a cold combination of classical clichés, the work remains a model of perfection in line and composition. Such a dramatic colour range is rare for Ingres and is reminiscent of portraits by Florentine Mannerists, one of the greatest impression the artist gained from Italy.