At first glance, when we see this painting of a woman staring ardently into the viewer’s eyes, we would think of it as just a mere subject. But the woman we see here is so much more. This is Madame Hippolyte Flandrin; Aimée Ancelot. When researching this topic, I did not really find sources that directly connected the artist to the subject. However, it was abundantly clear by the way that he painted her that he adored her. Ancelot and Flandrin were both from good social backgrounds and had honoured positions in society. I found a formidable pair. We see in the painting that Ancelot embodies innocence, shyness, and grace. Her features are sharper than the prevailing standards of beauty back then; however, there is a slight softness and warmth in her eyes, and a slight tilt of her lips that shows her smile. It is clear that Ancelot wasn't just smiling at us, but rather at the lovely painter, her husband. This to be said, it must be noted that all of this is based on records of relatives and other members of the society, and there is minimal information as to what the relationship is really like. But at least from this painting, it is clear that in this moment, the sweetness that we abundantly see in her beautiful gaze.
I would like to focus on the small hidden symbols in the painting that give us the story of the couple that was mentioned in the description. We see a red carnation that is tucked into her dress; the red carnation means that the couple has a lasting love for each other and that they are married. To the right, a Crucifixion is hung on the wall, and to the left sits a statue of Minerva (the goddess of wisdom). These things represent the two parts of Flandrin's life: his strong belief in the Catholic faith and his dedication to the traditional style of Neoclassical art that he learned in school.
