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Portrait of Baronne de Rothschild

January 01, 1970

Baronne de Rothschild is an 1848 portrait by the French Neoclassical artist Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. The sitter, Betty de Rothschild (1805–1886) had married her paternal uncle banker James Mayer de Rothschild and was one of the wealthiest women in Europe, and one of the foremost Parisian patrons of the arts. Her beauty and elegance were widely known and celebrated, and inspired Heinrich Heine's poem The Angel. For her portrait, which is painted in oil on canvas, Ingres sought to infuse symbols of her material wealth with the dignity, grace and beauty of Renaissance art, especially that of Raphael, while at the same time adhering to the command of line as practiced by Jan van Eyck. It is this combination which, according to art historians, places Ingres so far apart from his early modernist contemporaries.

Portrait of Baronne de Rothschild
Baronne de Rothschild, Rothschild Collection, Paris
ArtistJean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
Year1848 (1848)
TypeOil painting
SubjectBetty de Rothschild (1805–1886)
Dimensions141.9 cm × 101 cm (55.9 in × 40 in)

Betty de Rothschild's portrait is regarded as one of Ingres' most accomplished works, and has been described as "perhaps the most sumptuous yet approachable image of mid-nineteenth-century opulence."[1]

Background edit

She first asked Ingres to paint her in 1841 when he was much sought after as a reluctant portraitist. His ambition lay in history painting which he believed was a higher form of art, while his living lay in commissions for the nobility. At this point he was financially comfortable and refused. After meeting her at a ball and finding her highly charming, he agreed to the commission. In a letter of 26 June 1842 to his friend Jean-Pierre-François Gilibert, Ingres wrote: "Tuesday, I have a definite sitting with Mme. de Rothschild, which came at the price of a dozen puerile and sincere letters. Long live portraits! may God damn them…!"[2]

The painting was not completed for another six years: there were false starts, and progress was interrupted while he took time to work on other portraits – including his portrait of the late Ferdinand Philippe Henri the Duc d'Orleans who was killed in a carriage accident in 1842.[3] Although Ingres had nearly finished Mme de Rothschild's head by February 1843, in June 1844 he made a new start.[4] As the first version of the portrait is not known to survive, it is probable that Ingres scraped it down and painted the new version on top of it.[2] In June 1847 he wrote: "I have barely finished Mme. de Rothschild, begun again better, and the portrait of Mme Moitessier."[2] The painting was completed in 1848.

Description edit

 
Louise de Broglie, Countess d'Haussonville, 1845. Among the similarities to the Rothschild portrait are her oval face, tightly parted hair, the position of her hands and fingers, and the coquettish expression. Note the anatomical absurdity in the proportion and curvature of d'Haussonville's arms and fingers.

Rothschild wears a pink satin evening dress with rows of ruching at the hem and lace frills at the collar and sleeves, trimmed with ribbon bows. Her hair is smoothed over her ears and she wears a black velvet toque decorated with ostrich plumes. She is seated on a red velvet sofa, with her arms and legs crossed in a relaxed manner. Ingres has captured her in this painting as if she were attending a soirée with friends.[1]

She is positioned unusually low in the pictorial plane, giving her a vulnerability at odds with the obvious stature offered by the heraldic inscription and coat of arms at the top right. The portrait is dominated two main elements: her wine-red satin robe and the charm of her facial expression and perfectly oval, almost idealised, face. While she looks out at the viewer with almost the same directness as Ingres' 1832 Portrait of Monsieur Bertin, the image is softened by the attractiveness of both her pose and dress.[1] This warmth is contrasted by the sober and dull brown upper background, which serves to off-set the splendor of the sitter.

 
Jean-Étienne Liotard, Portrait of Louise d'Épinay, pastel, 1759

In contrast to the Bertin portrait, which required of Ingres a prolonged struggle to arrive at the final seated pose, Ingres apparently settled on the basic composition of the Rothschild portrait at the very first session.[2] The arrangement of Rothschild's upper body may have been partly inspired by a pastel by the Swiss artist Jean-Étienne Liotard, the Portrait of Louise d'Épinay (1759), which Ingres is known to have especially admired.[5] The liveliness of Ingres' portrait is enhanced by the casual way the sitter leans forward over her crossed legs. According to the art historian Aileen Ribiero, "Madame de Rothschild's pose – the way she crosses her legs so that the shape of her knee can clearly be seen – might have been regarded as rather risqué, if we are to believe the etiquette books", which at the time cautioned that a woman should not cross her legs when seated.[6]

Many critics have noted Ingres' unusual use of light in this work; the shadows on her dress are rendered flatter than the lit areas of cloth, yet paradoxically lie just above them on the surface of the canvas.[7] Typically, Ingres does not adhere to an anatomically correct representation of the visible parts of her body, which appear almost boneless and unusually bent and curved.[8]

History edit

The portrait was hung in Betty's salon until her death in 1886.[3] It was lent in 1867 to the posthumous Ingres exhibition in Paris, but has subsequently been exhibited publicly only twice. During the German occupation of France during World War II it was confiscated from Mme de Rothschild's grandchildren as Jewish property.[9] In June 1946 it was returned to the family, and in that year was exhibited in Paris along with other repatriated works.[10] It was displayed in the centennial exhibition of Ingres' work in 1967–68 at the Petit Palais in Paris.[10]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c Rosenblum, 114
  2. ^ a b c d Tinterow et al., 416
  3. ^ a b Strumingher, 45
  4. ^ Arikha, 93
  5. ^ Ribiero, 152
  6. ^ Ribiero, 154
  7. ^ Rifkin, 155
  8. ^ "Double Entendre". New Statesman, Vol. 128, January 1999. 40
  9. ^ Tinterow et al., 425
  10. ^ a b Tinterow et al., 423

Bibliography edit

  • Arikha, Avigdor (1986). J.A.D. Ingres: Fifty Life Drawings from the Musée Ingres at Montauban. Houston: The Museum of Fine Arts. ISBN 0-89090-036-1
  • Garb, Tamar.The Painted Face, Portraits of Women in France 1814-1914. Yale University Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0-300-11118-7
  • Jover, Maneul. Ingres. Harry N. Abrams, 1990. ISBN 0-8109-3451-5
  • Ockman, Carol. "Two Eyebrows à l’orientale: Ethnic Stereotyping in Ingres’s Baronne de Rothschild". The Jewish Quarterly, 1992
  • Ribeiro, Aileen. Ingres in Fashion: Representations of Dress and Appearance in Ingres's Images of Women. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-300-07927-3
  • Rifkin, Adrian. Ingres Then, and Now. New York: Routledge, 2000. ISBN 0-415-06698-0
  • Rosenblum, Robert. Ingres. London: Harry N. Abrams, 1990. ISBN 0-300-08653-9
  • Strumingher, Laura. The life & legacy of Baroness Betty de Rothschild. Peter Lang Publishing, 2006. ISBN 0-8204-7885-7
  • Tinterow, Gary; Conisbee, Philip; Naef, Hans. Portraits by Ingres: Image of an Epoch. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1999. ISBN 0-8109-6536-4

January 01, 1970
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Baronne de Rothschild is an 1848 portrait by the French Neoclassical artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres The sitter Betty de Rothschild 1805 1886 had married her paternal uncle banker James Mayer de Rothschild and was one of the wealthiest women in Europe and one of the foremost Parisian patrons of the arts Her beauty and elegance were widely known and celebrated and inspired Heinrich Heine s poem The Angel For her portrait which is painted in oil on canvas Ingres sought to infuse symbols of her material wealth with the dignity grace and beauty of Renaissance art especially that of Raphael while at the same time adhering to the command of line as practiced by Jan van Eyck It is this combination which according to art historians places Ingres so far apart from his early modernist contemporaries Portrait of Baronne de RothschildBaronne de Rothschild Rothschild Collection ParisArtistJean Auguste Dominique IngresYear1848 1848 TypeOil paintingSubjectBetty de Rothschild 1805 1886 Dimensions141 9 cm 101 cm 55 9 in 40 in Betty de Rothschild s portrait is regarded as one of Ingres most accomplished works and has been described as perhaps the most sumptuous yet approachable image of mid nineteenth century opulence 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Description 3 History 4 See also 5 Notes 6 BibliographyBackground editShe first asked Ingres to paint her in 1841 when he was much sought after as a reluctant portraitist His ambition lay in history painting which he believed was a higher form of art while his living lay in commissions for the nobility At this point he was financially comfortable and refused After meeting her at a ball and finding her highly charming he agreed to the commission In a letter of 26 June 1842 to his friend Jean Pierre Francois Gilibert Ingres wrote Tuesday I have a definite sitting with Mme de Rothschild which came at the price of a dozen puerile and sincere letters Long live portraits may God damn them 2 The painting was not completed for another six years there were false starts and progress was interrupted while he took time to work on other portraits including his portrait of the late Ferdinand Philippe Henri the Duc d Orleans who was killed in a carriage accident in 1842 3 Although Ingres had nearly finished Mme de Rothschild s head by February 1843 in June 1844 he made a new start 4 As the first version of the portrait is not known to survive it is probable that Ingres scraped it down and painted the new version on top of it 2 In June 1847 he wrote I have barely finished Mme de Rothschild begun again better and the portrait of Mme Moitessier 2 The painting was completed in 1848 Description edit nbsp Louise de Broglie Countess d Haussonville 1845 Among the similarities to the Rothschild portrait are her oval face tightly parted hair the position of her hands and fingers and the coquettish expression Note the anatomical absurdity in the proportion and curvature of d Haussonville s arms and fingers Rothschild wears a pink satin evening dress with rows of ruching at the hem and lace frills at the collar and sleeves trimmed with ribbon bows Her hair is smoothed over her ears and she wears a black velvet toque decorated with ostrich plumes She is seated on a red velvet sofa with her arms and legs crossed in a relaxed manner Ingres has captured her in this painting as if she were attending a soiree with friends 1 She is positioned unusually low in the pictorial plane giving her a vulnerability at odds with the obvious stature offered by the heraldic inscription and coat of arms at the top right The portrait is dominated two main elements her wine red satin robe and the charm of her facial expression and perfectly oval almost idealised face While she looks out at the viewer with almost the same directness as Ingres 1832 Portrait of Monsieur Bertin the image is softened by the attractiveness of both her pose and dress 1 This warmth is contrasted by the sober and dull brown upper background which serves to off set the splendor of the sitter nbsp Jean Etienne Liotard Portrait of Louise d Epinay pastel 1759 In contrast to the Bertin portrait which required of Ingres a prolonged struggle to arrive at the final seated pose Ingres apparently settled on the basic composition of the Rothschild portrait at the very first session 2 The arrangement of Rothschild s upper body may have been partly inspired by a pastel by the Swiss artist Jean Etienne Liotard the Portrait of Louise d Epinay 1759 which Ingres is known to have especially admired 5 The liveliness of Ingres portrait is enhanced by the casual way the sitter leans forward over her crossed legs According to the art historian Aileen Ribiero Madame de Rothschild s pose the way she crosses her legs so that the shape of her knee can clearly be seen might have been regarded as rather risque if we are to believe the etiquette books which at the time cautioned that a woman should not cross her legs when seated 6 Many critics have noted Ingres unusual use of light in this work the shadows on her dress are rendered flatter than the lit areas of cloth yet paradoxically lie just above them on the surface of the canvas 7 Typically Ingres does not adhere to an anatomically correct representation of the visible parts of her body which appear almost boneless and unusually bent and curved 8 History editThe portrait was hung in Betty s salon until her death in 1886 3 It was lent in 1867 to the posthumous Ingres exhibition in Paris but has subsequently been exhibited publicly only twice During the German occupation of France during World War II it was confiscated from Mme de Rothschild s grandchildren as Jewish property 9 In June 1946 it was returned to the family and in that year was exhibited in Paris along with other repatriated works 10 It was displayed in the centennial exhibition of Ingres work in 1967 68 at the Petit Palais in Paris 10 See also editList of paintings by Jean Auguste Dominique IngresNotes edit a b c Rosenblum 114 a b c d Tinterow et al 416 a b Strumingher 45 Arikha 93 Ribiero 152 Ribiero 154 Rifkin 155 Double Entendre New Statesman Vol 128 January 1999 40 Tinterow et al 425 a b Tinterow et al 423Bibliography editArikha Avigdor 1986 J A D Ingres Fifty Life Drawings from the Musee Ingres at Montauban Houston The Museum of Fine Arts ISBN 0 89090 036 1 Garb Tamar The Painted Face Portraits of Women in France 1814 1914 Yale University Press 2007 ISBN 978 0 300 11118 7 Jover Maneul Ingres Harry N Abrams 1990 ISBN 0 8109 3451 5 Ockman Carol Two Eyebrows a l orientale Ethnic Stereotyping in Ingres s Baronne de Rothschild The Jewish Quarterly 1992 Ribeiro Aileen Ingres in Fashion Representations of Dress and Appearance in Ingres s Images of Women New Haven and London Yale University Press 1999 ISBN 0 300 07927 3 Rifkin Adrian Ingres Then and Now New York Routledge 2000 ISBN 0 415 06698 0 Rosenblum Robert Ingres London Harry N Abrams 1990 ISBN 0 300 08653 9 Strumingher Laura The life amp legacy of Baroness Betty de Rothschild Peter Lang Publishing 2006 ISBN 0 8204 7885 7 Tinterow Gary Conisbee Philip Naef Hans Portraits by Ingres Image of an Epoch New York Harry N Abrams 1999 ISBN 0 8109 6536 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Portrait of Baronne de Rothschild amp oldid 1156764553, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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