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Ader

223 - Jean-Dominique INGRES (1780–1867).
See original version (French)

Estimate €4,000 - €5,000
Sale commission
Description
Jean-Dominique INGRES (1780–1867). Letter from the author, Florence, 15 June 1821, to Jean-François Gilibert the Younger, solicitor in Montauban; 3 pages in-4 and 2 pages in-8, address with postmarks (small tear caused by a broken postmark). A long letter from Florence to his childhood friend Jean-François Gilibert (1783–1850), concerning his painting *The Vow of Louis XIII*. He promises to write at least once a month, ‘just a few scribbles, because that is my way of writing to a friend, with whom one must have complete freedom—or rather, who forgives any awkwardness, who, out of friendship, puts up with any spelling mistakes, obscurity, even gibberish, but who knows better than anyone else how to make sense of what I mean to say and express, and my true feelings”. Gilibert knows that he is the ‘dearest friend, the only one I can truly call by this name, so common, yet so rare’… Then he turns to the commission (for Montauban Cathedral) for his painting of The Vow of Louis XIII: “My reflections on the structure of the composition, the advice I’ve received, and a more mature understanding of The Vow of Louis XIII have finally convinced me to adopt it. You know what the imagination of a true artist is like: one who must go back to the drawing board twenty times and who, consequently, undoes today what he has done tomorrow’… After his hesitations, Ingres asked Gilibert to inform the prefect that the matter was ‘definitely settled […] if you had, even in Montauban, in libraries, prints, or even good paintings, medals, or a portrait of this King that could be sent to me as shaded tracings, that would be of great help to me; even just his royal costume with sceptre and crown, or even those of his Glorious Father. […] All these materials are surely to be found in the Royal Library. An impression of the King in profile on some fine, large medal of the period, and his figure in full regalia, carefully drawn or traced, with the details of the fleurs-de-lis, crown and sceptre shown separately, will suffice for me’. It must be possible to find an artist in Paris who can do this with care; ‘I am in a great hurry’. He will write to the minister ‘when the time comes […] let us commission the painting, and it will be completed and exhibited at the Salon, I assure you, especially if my request is properly attended to; its proportions are beautiful and well-suited to the subject’. He then refers to an article in *Le Moniteur*, and his *Jesus Handing the Keys to Saint Peter*, ‘the fine painting of St Peter—I dare say, with complete conviction, that I painted it in Rome for the French church of the Trinité du Mont, and of which I shall tell you the still inconceivable story of the misfortune I have in painting classical works and works of the good religion’. Then there is his painting of Francesca da Rimini, of which he has heard nothing except from the Vernets, “who found it enchanting and worthy of a fine print”; he sends a small drawing of it to Gilibert, along with ‘the painted sketch of St Peter’, specifying that ‘this is merely the initial idea’. You know full well, my dear friend, that I am neither a sketchmaker nor a draughtsman who fiddles about with details, as they say; I recognise only the beautiful results in works of art, and so when I produce studies—whether on paper or on canvas—it is because they serve a practical purpose for me, not to be displayed in drawing rooms. […] had necessity and time permitted, I would have painted a picture for you, which you will of course receive.” He concludes with a few assessments of painters: Gros, who “has more sincerity than the others, though he is rougher”; Landon, ‘a scoundrel’ and a liar; Miel, who ‘is no artist, yet does me great justice and shows great generosity; he makes some very powerful points about me and the unfortunate direction painting is taking’…
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Letters and Autograph Manuscripts – Part II
Auction location
Auction time 10/14/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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