Ingres spilled coffee on himself while shouting at Delacroix at a party. He had approached his rival to deliver a lecture on the importance of drawing, became so agitated that the cup overturned, and left with the stain spreading across his waistcoat. The two men had to be placed in separate rooms at the 1855 Universal Exhibition to prevent further incidents.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1780–1867, French
- Movements
- Works held in
- 67 museums[1]
Biography
He studied under Jacques-Louis David, the most powerful painter in France, and absorbed David's belief that line was the foundation of art. When Ingres won the Prix de Rome in 1801 at twenty-one, he went to Italy and stayed for eighteen years, which tells you something about how much he preferred Rome to Paris. He came back, was feted, went back to Italy to run the French Academy in Rome, and only settled permanently in Paris in his sixties.
The Grande Odalisque, painted in 1814, has five vertebrae too many. The distortion is deliberate: Ingres elongated the figure to achieve the sinuous line he wanted, and when anatomists complained he ignored them. He was interested in the perfection of the contour, not the accuracy of the skeleton. The painting was attacked as Romantic, which infuriated him because he considered himself the defender of classical order against Romantic excess, with Delacroix as the enemy.
He had sixteen pupils who became notable painters, including Hippolyte Flandrin, Theodore Chasseriau and Henri Lehmann. Chasseriau was the interesting case: he studied with Ingres, then defected to Delacroix's camp, a betrayal Ingres never forgave. Raphael was the only influence he ever acknowledged willingly.
Timeline
- 1780Born on 29 August in Montauban, southern France, the eldest of seven children. His father, a painter and musician, gave him early instruction in drawing.
- 1797At 17, moved to Paris to study under Jacques-Louis David, the leading Neoclassical painter. He had previously trained at the Toulouse Academy from the age of 11.
- 1801At 21, won the Prix de Rome with The Ambassadors of Agamemnon in the Tent of Achilles. Treasury shortages caused by the Napoleonic Wars delayed his departure for Italy until 1806.
- 1806At 26, arrived in Rome for his residency and painted Napoleon I on the Imperial Throne, which critics condemned as wilfully archaic and "Gothic" in style.
- 1824At 44, exhibited The Vow of Louis XIII at the Paris Salon, which was met with acclaim. He was hailed as the leader of the Neoclassical school in France after 18 years in Italy.
- 1835At 55, returned to Rome as director of the French Academy, retreating from Paris after harsh criticism of The Martyrdom of Saint Symphorian at the 1834 Salon.
- 1862At 82, completed The Turkish Bath in Paris, the last of his Orientalist paintings of the female nude. His expressive distortions of form would later influence Matisse and Picasso.
- 1867Died of pneumonia on 14 January in Paris, aged 86. He bequeathed his studio contents, including over 4,000 drawings and his violin, to the city museum of Montauban.
Notable Works
Tap to view larger.
Where to See Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
8 museums worldwide.
- 1 works
Centre national des arts plastiques
Paris, France
-
1 works
Library-museum of the Comédie-Française
Paris, France
Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
How did jean. auguste dominique ingres die?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres died in 1867 at the age of 87.Jean auguste dominique ingres art movement?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres trained in the neoclassical style of Jacques-Louis David. He condemned modern styles such as Romanticism.What is Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's most famous work?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) trained in the neoclassical style, but he developed his own approach to portraiture. He remains one of the 19th century's important portrait painters. Ingres was born in Montauban, France. He studied with his father, Joseph Ingres, and at the academy in Toulouse. In 1797, he moved to Paris and studied with Jacques-Louis David. Although Ingres was considered a follower of David, his style soon changed. It became a flatter, more linear classicism inspired by ancient Greek pottery and Raphael. In 1801, Ingres won the prix de Rome with his painting, The Ambassadors of Agamemnon. He worked in Paris until 1806, when he moved to Italy. He lived there from 1806 to 1824, then returned to France for ten years. After this, he went back to Italy as director of the French Academy in Rome until 1841. Early in his career, Ingres received commissions from Napoleon. His 1806 oil painting, Portrait of Napoleon on the Imperial Throne, is one of his well-known images of the ruler.What should I know about Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's prints?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres did not often create prints. The art historian Heinrich Schwarz attributed only four prints to him in 1959: three lithographs and one etching. One undisputed print by Ingres is the 1816 etching, *Portrait of Monseigneur Gabriel Cortois de Pressigny*. It was based on his drawing of the same subject; two versions of the drawing exist. Ingres seems to have made drawings for prints to earn income early in his career. Later, after achieving fame, he became very interested in reproductions of his work. In 1856, at age seventy-six, Ingres wrote that he was creating a drawing of his painting *Homer* specifically to be made into a print. He described the drawing as large, with added figures and "all the perfections I can muster". Ingres called this print project "the work of my artistic life", "the most beautiful and the most important".What style or movement did Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres belong to?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) is usually called a Neoclassicist. A student of David, Ingres naturally adopted Neoclassicism. Ingres took Greek vase paintings as models early in his career, drawing flat, linear figures. Critics at the time, however, condemned these as 'primitive' and 'Gothic'. As the self-proclaimed spokesman of the conservative wing, Ingres advocated technical skill. He cautioned against strong, warm colours for visual impact, deeming them 'antihistorical'. Ingres considered Eugène Delacroix 'the devil incarnate'. Ingres was an impeccable draughtsman. His devotion to line influenced Picasso, Matisse, and Degas. Despite his Neoclassical leanings, Ingres sometimes strayed from its principles. His female nudes, such as the 'Grande Odalisque' (1814), were more Mannerist than classically Greek. Ingres is remembered as a portraitist, capturing physical appearance with accuracy. His painting 'Portrait of the Princesse de Broglie' (1853) shows his trademarks of polished skin and simple forms contoured by lines.What techniques or materials did Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres use?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a technically skilled artist who favoured precise drawing and smooth surfaces. He is best known for his paintings, but he also produced many drawings and some etchings. Ingres prioritised line over colour; this approach is evident in his meticulous preparatory drawings. These drawings, often in graphite, established the composition and contours of his subjects before he began painting. He aimed for a Neoclassical ideal of beauty, with an emphasis on clarity, order, and idealised forms. For his paintings, Ingres typically worked on canvas, building up thin layers of oil paint to achieve a polished, enamel-like finish. This technique minimised the appearance of brushstrokes, creating a smooth, almost porcelain-like surface. He often used glazes to add depth and luminosity to his colours, although his palette tended to be restrained. He favoured cool colours, such as blues and whites, to create a sense of calm and detachment. His dedication to draftsmanship and his mastery of oil paint allowed him to create highly refined and detailed works.What was jean auguste dominique ingres known for?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is best known as a student of Jacques-Louis David. He trained in David's neoclassical style, but developed his own realistic and engaging style of portraiture.What was Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres known for?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) is remembered as one of the great portrait painters of the 19th century. Born in Montauban, France, he trained with Jacques-Louis David, and his early work reflected David's Neoclassical style. Ingres diverged from this, developing a flatter, more linear style inspired by Greek pottery and Raphael. Ingres believed in the supremacy of line. He cautioned against strong colours, considering them "antihistorical". He famously stated, "Drawing is the probity of art." This put him at odds with Romantic painters such as Eugène Delacroix, whom he considered the "devil incarnate". Although Ingres considered himself a history painter, his portraits and paintings of bathers gained him recognition. His "Vow of Louis XIII", exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1824, brought critical acclaim. He painted female nudes throughout his career, rendering their skin with a porcelain finish. Examples include "La Grande Odalisque" (1814) and "The Valpinçon Bather" (1808). His portraits include "Portrait of the Princesse de Broglie" (1853) and "Louis-François Bertin" (1832). Ingres lived in Italy from 1806 to 1824, and again from 1835 to 1841 as director of the French Academy in Rome.When did jean auguste dominique ingres died?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres died in 1867 at the age of 87.When did Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres live and work?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was born in 1780 and died in 1867. He was born in Montauban, a small town in the south of France. Ingres trained in the neoclassical style; however, he developed his own approach to portraiture. He is considered an important portrait painter of the early 19th century. In 1797, Ingres moved to Paris to study with Jacques-Louis David. While considered a follower of David, Ingres's style soon moved away from David's neoclassicism. Ingres's style became a flatter, more lyrical, linear form of classicism, taking inspiration from ancient Greek pottery and the Renaissance painter Raphael. In 1801, Ingres won the prix de Rome with his historical painting *The Ambassadors of Agamemnon*; he continued to work in Paris until 1806. From 1806 to 1824, he lived in Italy. In 1824, he returned to France for ten years, then returned to Italy to direct the French Academy in Rome until 1841.Where can I see Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's work?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's art can be found in museums and galleries across Europe and North America. In France, several institutions hold his works, including the Musée Ingres in Montauban, which has a substantial collection. Other French museums with works by Ingres include the Musée du Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, both in Paris; the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours; and the Musée Condé in Chantilly. Outside France, Ingres's paintings are held at the National Gallery in London; the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa; the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh; and the Museo del Prado in Madrid. In the United States, you can view his work at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Detroit Institute of Arts; the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.; the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri; and the Norton Simon Foundation in Pasadena, California.Where was jean auguste dominique ingres born?
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was born in 1780 in France. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres died in 1867, aged 87.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.
- [1] museum Musée Granet Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum Department of Prints and Drawings of the Louvre Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum Musée des Arts Décoratifs Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Library-museum of the Comédie-Française Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Musée départemental de l'Oise Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] academic Richard Wrigley, Ingres, Painter of Men Used for: influences.
- [8] academic The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres | French Neoclassical Painter Used for: biography.
- [9] academic Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres - Smarthistory Used for: stylistic analysis.
- [10] wikidata Wikidata: Q23380 Used for: identifiers.
- [11] book Palmer, Allison Lee, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
- [12] book Allison Lee Palmer, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
- [13] book Neoclassicism and romanticism : architecture, sculpture, painting, drawings, 1750-1848 Used for: biography.
- [14] museum Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres | Madame Moitessier | NG4821 | National Gallery, London Used for: museum holdings.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-06-07. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
Editorial standardsMethodologyCorrectionsAI disclosureAbout the editorial teamCitation ledger