Madame Jacques-Louis Leblanc, née Françoise Poncelle (1788-1839), 1823
Oil on canvas
Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Collection, Wolfe Fund, 1918 (19.77.1)
Monsieur and Madame Leblanc were a highly
civilized French couple living in Florence when Ingres resided there. Ingres was
captivated by Madame Leblanc's beauty and especially admired her hands. Degas considered
the pair of portraits among his most important acquisitions. His handwritten notes on the
paintings are exhibited in this room.
The Metropolitan acquired the pair at the posthumous sale of Degas's collection in
1918. It was the only American museum that made purchases at the Degas sales.