La Source
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Musée d\'Orsay, Paris |
| Location History: | "La Source" was acquired directly from Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in 1857 by Count Charles-Marie Tanneguy Duchatel for 25,000 francs. After his death, the painting remained in the collection of Countess Duchatel until 1878. In that year, she bequeathed the work to the French State, and it was subsequently assigned to the Musée du Louvre in Paris. The painting remained at the Louvre from 1878 until 1986, when it was transferred on deposit to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, where it is currently housed. |
“La Source” or “The Source,” painted by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, explores the possible expressions of a woman's body. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a French Neoclassical painter whose works include detailed portraits, history paintings, and nudes. However, the female nude was a recurring subject in his paintings. Through his representations of the nude, Ingres was able to explore the ideals of beauty, human form, and the physical qualities of the human body, as seen in his painting “La Source.” In this painting, the nude figure is presented vertically in a standing position. This representation of the female figure reflects the desire of Ingres to create a figure of ideal beauty. At the same time, the silhouette of the female figure is presented with meticulous detail, serving as a tribute to the female body. Furthermore, the subtle expression on the woman’s face diverts the attention towards the bodily features of the figure. The painting is also a fine example of an elongated nude, which was often a characteristic feature of his paintings which featured nude figures. Commenting on this painting, French writer and art critic Theophile Gautier celebrated its beauty and idealised form. To view the work as a portrayal of modest nudity could not be closer to the truth. Its simplistic depiction lends modesty to the figure. Overall, the painting is an appreciation of the female body in its idealised, natural state free from any unnecessary sexualisation.
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