Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres | ritratto di mademoiselle Riviere

Student of Jacques-Louis David, the main interpreter of the neoclassical ideals of the revolution and the empire, Ingres was first acclaimed and then denigrated as the highest spokesman of pictorial academism. The luminous embodiment of his faces and the serene brilliance emanated from the physiognomy of the depicted characters, the formal composition of his compositions, but also the classic conception of beauty, made of order, symmetry and decor, have contributed to determining a cold judgment around Ingres' work. Philibert Rivière commissioned three portraits from Ingres, his, that of his wife Sabine Bleu, and finally that of his daughter Carolina, all dated around 1806. The most famous of the three portraits, however, is that of his daughter, who died prematurely in 1807, the year after the portrait. It is the only painting by Ingres that portrays a teenager, a painting that strikes and catches the attention for the penetrating gaze of the girl and for the compositional proportions. The figure appears to us with a head too large compared to the exquisite body, the tiny shoulders hold a white dress surrounded by a luxurious helmet. The new bourgeoisie often exhibits its acquired wealth, even when it is a teenager. The figure of Caroline Rivière occupies the foreground of the canvas, while in the background the landscape is visible, which occupies a limited space. The young woman is portrayed in a white muslin dress, embellished with accessories that evoke the feminine will, such as the bow in ermine fur and long gloves. On the background, a landscape of the Île-de-France. The diffuse light in the painting is highlighted by the ebony black hair and the yellow mustard gloves. The figure is well outlined, so much so that the feeling of flatness led some critics to label her work as gothic. The white of the dress stands out on the dark background, while the porcelain skin of the girl is exalted by dark-eyed hair that contrast with the brightness of the sky. The beauty of the painting lies in its sublimated quiet. The delicate Mademoiselle Rivière makes you think of Ingres's paintings on Greek myths, accumulated by the vivid force that travels from within his vision of the subject. Ingres interprets the innocence of the subject but at the same time he reflects the sensuality. The most immediate stylistic reference is Raffaello, a painter for whom Ingres showed a real passion. The painting is certainly one of the most beautiful portraits of the 18th century. If you liked the video, subscribe to the channel, leave a like and share it with your friends. I also invite you to visit my shop. Greetings and see you in the next video of Artesplorando!