How did critics respond to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s works at the 1855 Universal Exposition in Paris?

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At the 1855 Universal Exposition in Paris, the critical response to the 69 works displayed by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was notably divided:1

  • Conservative critics: These reviewers praised Ingres, celebrating him as the final great representative of the grand painting tradition.1
  • Progressive critics: These reviewers criticized his style, arguing that it was irrelevant to the modern age and failed to reflect contemporary advancements in the medium.1

Although Ingres felt slighted by the negative reception, the government sought to appease him by naming him a grand officer of the Legion of Honor, making him the first artist or literary figure to receive that distinction.1