Portrait of a young woman wearing a lace bonnet (by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres), the late 1790s

Jean-auguste-dominique ingres (montauban 1780 - 1867 paris) portrait of a young woman wearing a lace bonnet pencil with touches of blue wash; circular; signed in pencil, centre right: j. Ingres / r: 80 mm; 3⅛ in. (diameter) ingres's portrait drawings make up a considerable proportion of the works for which he is most celebrated as an artist. This exquisite and delicately executed portrait of a young lady is stylistically similar to ingres' works of the late 1790s, and the form of the signature is also characteristic of that early period. The contrast between the highly finished facial features of the sitter and the quickly sketched bonnet and dress focuses the viewers' s attention on her face and gaze. Date: the late 1790s.