Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is a notable Neoclassical painter from 19th-century France. The study for ‘the Tomb of the Lady Jane Montagu’ is one of his famous works, created in 1816 using watercolor on paper. The painting’s dimensions are 44.5 × 55.8 cm (sheet), and it portrays the tomb as a pen and brown ink drawing, accompanied by watercolors over pencil work.
Ingres had an extensive background in art, receiving early instruction from his father who was also an artist in town employment before becoming the main proponent of French Neoclassical painting after Jacques-Louis David’s death. His artwork differs from Romanticism movement, which was prevalent during the time; his meticulously drawn works are cool in tone and represent great attention to detail.
Although not among the most celebrated by Ingres, ‘the Tomb of Lady Jane Montagu’ remains an essential work that reveals his capacity for precision and attention to detail. Born into aristocracy at around 1691, Lady Jane Montagu died three decades later after marrying Lord George Graham in London.
The study is set against a subtle wash of pale peach hues with thin outlines that depict delicate details such as foliage, feathers on birds amongst other features such as decorative scrollwork on sarcophagus legs giving way to classical military adornment like swords used as pilasters or friezes against architectures walls.
