The Spring
1820 - 1856
Ingres started painting this flawless nude nymph when he was 40 and didn't finish it until he was 76—taking a whopping 36 years to complete! Standing in a rocky grotto, the young woman holds a jug over her shoulder, letting water cascade down, symbolizing purity and the source of life. Despite the decades of work, her skin looks impossibly smooth and porcelain-like, a hallmark of the Neoclassical style that prioritized idealized beauty over gritty reality. When it was finally unveiled in 1856, it was an instant sensation, proving that good things really do take time.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Musée d'Orsay, Paris
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