As with consequently several of his paintings, Ingres relishes in catching surface textures: the elegant velvet; the fresh luster of the silk, browning the flesh; the braided tassle of the cushion; the glossy coating on the wood texture, all crocheting throughout and animate the appearance. See the way, for instance, the shawl points us to her face or the white muslin wraps her hair, billowing off to the right so as to equalize the momentum of her left arm.
