How does Self-Portrait (Ingres) elucidate its Description?
In this self-portrait, Ingres's self-satisfied pose is not that of an artist, but that of a well-to-do bourgeois, a man of the world. Clearly, he was aware of his dignity. Complete with smart suit, top hat and gloves, he’s ready to go out, but not without the medals and honours that he displays so proudly: the star of a Grand Officer in the French Legion of Honour, the cross of the Prussian Order of Merit, and a decoration awarded to him by the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Striking is the skill wherewith the painter rendered fabrics. The black cloth of the jacket contrasts with the silk collar, just as the hard nose of his fleshy face stands out against his fine, sleek hair. What is striking about the portrait is the self-satisfied, penetrating and slightly mocking look. The confrontation between the painter and the audience is very direct. The painter clearly shows his self-pride in this portrait.
The portrait is a smug confirmation of Ingres' acquired status. Yet it is also an expression of his fear of death and decline. The portrait is Ingres' ultimate attempt to avert inevitable fate. He wrote: "I think a lot about my old age: it will take revenge on me".