Portrait of Count Guryev
by INGRES, Jean-Auguste-Dominique, Oil on canvas, 107 x 86 cm
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 clich�s, 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.