This study, made in the 1860s by the painter Amaury-Duval whilst he was staying in the Basque Country, offers an idealised image of a local woman.
The invisible brushwork, delicate modelling of the flesh and timeless Greek profile all very much echo the style of Ingres who was Duval’s teacher from 1825 onward. In contrast to other Romantic painters like Delacroix, Amaury-Duval preferred drawing and line to colour. In the 19th century, Ingres and Delacroix had opposing aesthetics and opinions. The critics of the time preferred the meticulous compositions of Ingres and his disciples, and regularly criticised the Romantic aesthetic.
Progressively, the trend changed and Baudelaire took Delacroix’s defence. In his reviews of the Salons, the poet gave an account of the yearly exhibitions at the Louvre. He judged the work of Amaury-Duval and Ingres to be “pretentious and clumsy affectation”. Championed in the early 20th century by Maurice Denis, a leading figure of the Nabis movement, who described Amaury-Duval as a “delightful and gentle spirit”, today, the work of Ingres and his followers are appreciated for their true value.