| Portrait of Jacques-François Desmaisons | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Jacques-Louis David |
| Year | 1782 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 91.44 cm × 72.39 cm (36.00 in × 28.50 in) |
| Location | Buffalo AKG Art Museum, New York City |
Portrait of Jacques-François Desmaisons is an oil painting created in 1782 by the French Neoclassical artist Jacques-Louis David. The work is noted for its intellectual tone and compositional clarity, and it offers a vivid portrayal of Desmaisons as a professional and Enlightenment-era figure.[1]
Description
[edit]The painting features Jacques-François Desmaisons, a French architect and academic affiliated with the Royal Academy of Architecture. He is depicted seated at a desk, surrounded by architectural tools such as a compass, ruler, and blueprints. Books are also present on the table, including a clearly labeled volume of Palladio, referencing Andrea Palladio, the influential Renaissance architect.[2][page needed]
Provenance
[edit]The portrait was completed in 1782 and is currently housed in the Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) in Buffalo, New York City. It entered the museum's permanent collection in the 20th century.[1]
Significance
[edit]The painting is notable as one of the few early portraits by David portraying a member of the professional bourgeoisie rather than the aristocracy. It reflects a shift in artistic and societal values on the eve of the French Revolution, where intellect and civic responsibility began to take precedence over noble birth.[3][page needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Portrait of Jacques-François Desmaisons". Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
- ^ Crow, Thomas E. (1995). Emulation: Making Artists for Revolutionary France. Yale University Press.
- ^ Rosenblum, Robert (1989). Transformations in Late Eighteenth-Century Art. Princeton University Press.
