 The work 's realism attracted a large amount of commentary when it was first exhibited . Some saw it as an affront to Romanticism , others said that its small details not only showed an acute likeness , but built a psychological profile of the sitter . Art historian Geraldine Pelles sees Bertin as " at once intense , suspicious , and aggressive " . She notes that there is a certain amount of projection of the artist 's personality and recalls Théophile Silvestre 's description of Ingres ; " There he was squarely seated in an armchair , motionless as an Egyptian god carved of granite , his hands stretched wide over parallel knees , his torso stiff , his head haughty " . Some compared it to Balthasar Denner , a German realist painter influenced by Jan van Eyck . Denner , in the words of Ingres scholar Robert Rosenblum , " specialised in recording every last line on the faces of aged men and women , and even reflections of windows in their eyes . " The comparison was made by Ingres ' admirers and detractors alike . In 1833 , Louis de Maynard of the Collège @-@ lycée Ampère , writing in the influential L 'Europe littéraire , dismissed Denner as a weak painter concerned with hyperrealistic " curiosities " , and said that both he and Ingres fell short of the " sublime productions of Ingres ' self @-@ proclaimed hero , Raphael . " 
 The work <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>realism attracted a large amount of commentary when it was first exhibited . Some saw it as an affront to Romanticism , others said that its small details not only showed an acute likeness , but built a psychological profile of the sitter . Art historian Geraldine Pelles <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>sees</mark></a> Bertin as " at once intense , suspicious , and aggressive " . She <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>notes</mark></a> that <a href='dey_it' title='4'><mark>there</mark></a> is a certain amount of projection of the artist <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>personality and <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>recalls</mark></a> Théophile Silvestre <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>description of Ingres ; " There he was squarely seated in an armchair , motionless as an Egyptian god carved of granite , his hands stretched wide over parallel knees , his torso stiff , his head haughty " . Some compared it to Balthasar Denner , a German realist painter influenced by Jan van Eyck . Denner , in the words of Ingres scholar Robert Rosenblum , " specialised in recording every last line on the faces of aged men and women , and even reflections of windows in their eyes . " The comparison was made by Ingres <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'</mark></a>admirers and detractors alike . In 1833 , Louis de Maynard of the Collège @-@ lycée Ampère , writing in the influential L 'Europe littéraire , dismissed Denner as a weak painter concerned with hyperrealistic " curiosities " , and said that both he and Ingres fell short of the " sublime productions of Ingres <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'</mark></a>self @-@ proclaimed hero , Raphael . " 
The wrk  realism attracted a large amount of commentary when it was first exhibited . Some saw it as an affront to Romanticism , others said that its small details not only showed an acute likeness , but built a psychological profile of the sitter . Art historian Geraldine Pelles see Bertin as " at once intense , suspicious , and aggressive " . She note dat it is a certain amount of projection of the artist  personality and recall Théophile Silvestre  description of Ingres ; " dere he was squarely seated in an armchair , motionless as an Egyptian god carved of granite , his hands stretched wide ova parallel knees , his torso stiff , his head haughty " . Some compared it to Balthasar Denner , a German realist painter influenced by Jan van Eyck . Denner , in da words of Ingres scholar Robert Rosenblum , " specialised in recording every last line on the faces of aged men and women , and even reflections of windows in their eyes . " Tdacomparison was made by Ingres  admirers and detractors alike . In 1833 , Louis de Maynard of the Collège @-@ lycée Ampère , writing in the influential L 'Europe littéraire , dismissed Denner as a weak painter talkn with hyperrealistic " curiosities " , and said tdatboth he and Ingres fell short of thda sublime productions of Ingres  self @-@ proclaimed hero , Raphael . "