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[[left margin]] Musée Ingres [[/left margin]]

INGRES, Jean Auguste Dominique (1780-1867)

"PORTRAIT OF DR. DE FRANCE"

Oil on canvas : 24 x 19-3/4"  ca. 1811

Dr. de France was physician to Prince Lucien Bonaparte, second brother of Napoleon. The importance of his position may be seen from several references to him from the book by Paul Fleuriot de Langle (Alexandrine Lucien Bonaparte, Princesse de Canino), who says (p. 80) that Dr, de France was numbered "among the intimates of the domestic circle of Lucien.... The excellent Dr. de France, nephew of the general (Jean-Marie Antoine, comte de France) acted both as the family doctor and as tutor to the elder son". Fleuriot de Langle also tells us that after the death of Lucien in 1840, Alexandrine hung the painting in her salon at the chateau de Musignano "as a reminder of her regretted Dr. de France". (p. 302).

The portrait is bust length, and shows Dr. de France with his head and shoulders turned three-quarter view to his right; his eyes gaze straight out of the picture. He wears a black stock with a white collar, under a coat of deepest blue-green which has a large raised collar adding to the monumental dignity of the sitter. He has grey hair with touches of auburn in it, heavy black brows and dark eyes.  The figure is set against a russet background.
 
Collections:
- Lucien Bonaparte, Prince of Canino
- Alexandrine Bonaparte, the second wife of Lucien and Princesse of Canino.
- Comte Joseph Napoleon Primoli, grandson of King Joseph Bonaparte and of Lucien Bonaparte
- Due de Trevise

Bibliography:
- Saglio, E.: "Un nouveau Tableau de M. Ingres", La Correspondance Littéraire, Feb. 5 1857, p.77

- Lapauze, Henry. Les Dessins de J.A.D. Ingres du Musée de Montauban. (with copies of manuscript notes by Ingres of his work) Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1901, pp.235,248 

- Lapauze, Henry. Ingres, sa vie et son oeuvre Paris: George Petit, 1911, p.103 (erroneously described)

- Duc de Trevise Sale Catalogue, July 9, 1936, Sotheby, no.1 and reproduced

- Fleuriot de Langle, Paul. Alexandrine-Lucien Bonaparte, Princesse de Canino. Paris: Plon, 1939, p.80, p.302

- Phaidon Press, Ingres, Georges Wildenstein, London: 1954, catalogue No.80, reproduced fig. 43