Jean-françois Gilibert 1783-1850,

"You are for me the oldest and the only true friend" wrote Ingres to Gilibert; the latter, a lawyer by profession, did not disdain to draw and paint, encouraged in this by his illustrious friend. Our painting is part of a set of works by Gilibert that have remained in the family for a long time; in 2013, following the acquisition by the Ingres museum of the main painting from this collection, an article appeared in the Bulletin of the Ingres museum (number 85, April 2013), describing the said set and relating the Ingres / Gilibert relationship.