Frederic, 5th Earl of Guilford - Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

A 1815 lithographic portrait of Frederic, 5th Earl of Guilford, by the French Neoclassical master Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.

This portrait depicts Frederic North, the 5th Earl of Guilford, captured in a lithographic print dated 1815. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a master of the Neoclassical tradition, produced this work during his time in Rome. The image reflects the artist's precision in draughtsmanship, a quality that defined his career and his approach to portraiture. Ingres focuses on the sitter's features, using light shading to define the contours of the face and the structure of the clothing.

The Earl is shown in a seated position, dressed in the formal attire of the period. The composition is restrained, typical of Ingres's graphite and lithographic studies. He avoids unnecessary ornamentation, allowing the character of the subject to remain the primary focus. The lines are clean and deliberate, demonstrating the artist's control over the medium. The print includes the signature of the artist and the date, alongside a caption identifying the subject and the lithographic process used by C. Hullmandel.

Ingres was known for his ability to balance anatomical accuracy with a certain idealised grace. While this work is a study in realism, it maintains the poise associated with the aristocratic subjects of the early nineteenth century. The Earl of Guilford, a noted philhellene and collector, is presented with a calm, composed expression. This print offers a clear view into the portrait style of the era, where the artist's hand is visible in every stroke. It is a piece that documents both the subject and the technical capabilities of early lithography in reproducing fine art drawings for a wider audience. The work remains a study of form and personality, stripped of the distractions found in more elaborate painted portraits of the same period.