Dr. François Mêlier — Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this meticulous graphite portrait, Dr. François Mêlier, a prominent hygienist and member of the French Academy of Medicine, is captured with an air of quiet authority. His gaze is direct, yet softened by the delicate rendering of his features. The artist, known for his masterful draftsmanship, here showcases a remarkable ability to convey both the physical likeness and the intellectual presence of his sitter using only the subtle gradations of graphite. Mêlier's posture, slightly turned but with his head facing forward, creates a sense of engagement with the viewer. The precision in the drawing of his waistcoat, shirt collar, and the slight rumple of his jacket suggests a keen observation of texture and form. This drawing, created in 1849, reflects the high regard for detailed realism characteristic of the period, while also hinting at the sitter's inner life through the thoughtful expression.

DETAILS

Artist: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
Date: 1849
Medium: Graphite with graphite framing lines, corrected with white, on buff wove paper
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions: 12 11/16 x 9 3/4 in. (32.2 x 25 cm)
Collection: Robert Lehman Collection
Credit line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

ART MOVEMENTS

Academic art Classicism Neoclassicism Romanticism

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

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01

The wary gaze

Look at the small round spectacles and the steady, slightly heavy-lidded eyes. The direct gaze and careful modeling around the eyes make the sitter feel present and alert.

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02

White touches on whiskers

Find the bright white patches at the sideburns and the edge of the hair. White was added to correct and lift these spots against the buff paper.

2 of 5 on the painting

03

Curled hair

The curls at the sitter's temples are drawn with tight, looping pencil lines. Their small, busy detail contrasts with the smooth, open forehead beside them.

3 of 5 on the painting

04

The small object in hand

The sitter's hand, at the right of the image, holds a small object between the fingers near the waistcoat buttons. The drawing does not make clear what it is, so it stays a quiet, open detail.

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05

Signature and date

At the lower right, Ingres signed and dated the drawing in flowing script, with 1849 beneath his name. Faint lettering near the top edge appears to be an inscription, likely related to the sitter.

5 of 5 on the painting

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THE ARTIST

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

1780–1867 · France

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a French Neoclassical painter, masterfully blended academic tradition with expressive distortions, influencing modernists like Matisse and Picasso.

Read Ingres’s full story