Madame Hippolyte Flandrin, born Aimée Caroline Ancelot 

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres created this portrait of Madame Hippolyte Flandrin around 1840. The piece captures a moment in the life of a woman connected to artistic circles, her husband being the painter Hippolyte Flandrin. Ingres, known for his neoclassical style, here depicts Madame Flandrin with a delicate balance of precision and warmth. The drawing offers us a glimpse into the world of bourgeois women during a time of significant social change in France. It invites us to consider the expectations and roles assigned to women of this class, as well as their involvement in the cultural and artistic life of the period. While Ingres was committed to Neoclassical ideals, he also had the ability to capture the individuality of his sitters. The artwork invites a reflection on identity, gender, and the subtle negotiations of power and representation within the domestic sphere.