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Mystery solved: Musea Bruges identifies Bruges artist in portrait by Ingres
13 Nov 2025
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A remarkable art historical discovery at Musea Brugge sheds new light on the oeuvre of the French master Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and on the international ambitions of Bruges artists in the 19th century. An until now anonymous portrait by Ingres turns out to depict none other than the Bruges artist Joseph Ducq (1762–1829). The discovery demonstrates that the contacts of Bruges artists with the broader European art landscape were much more intense than often thought.
In 1813, the French artist Ingres created a portrait of a man. The portrait has long been known among art historians, but for years it was a mystery who was depicted. In 1980, the portrayed person was cautiously identified as the Bruges politician Charles-Bernardin-Ghislain Coppieters-Stochove. Wrongly, it turns out. New research by art historian Dr. Thijs Dekeukeleire (Musea Brugge) finally uncovered the true identity of the unknown man. It appears to be the Bruges artist Joseph Ducq, a talented neoclassical draftsman and painter. The key to the discovery? A print from the Print Room of Musea Brugge with a portrait of Ducq, made by his pupil Adriaan Wulffaert.
The resemblance is so striking that the print can only have been made from Ingres's original drawing. When I put the two images side by side, I knew it immediately. A goosebump moment.
From Bruges to Rome
The discovery is part of the research project by Musea Brugge ‘Apprentice-Master II’, which maps the international careers of Bruges artists in the long 19th century. Ducq studied at the Bruges Academy, a leading art institution in the early 19th century. Like several other ambitious alumni, Ducq went to Paris and Rome after his studies to perfect his art. In Rome, he was part of a vibrant community of Flemish and French artists — including Ingres.
Unique portrait as a farewell gift
Ingres portrayed Ducq just before his return to Bruges, where he became the director of the Bruges Academy. The portrait is likely a farewell gift. Although Ingres drew dozens of portraits of friends, colleagues, and travelers during his years in Italy, he rarely portrayed artists from the region that later became Belgium. This makes the drawing almost unique in his oeuvre and proves how intense the – until now unknown – bond between the two artists was. The understated line work, soft smile, and three-quarter profile are characteristic of his early Roman style. The work is currently in the private collection of Marilyn and Charles Baillie in Toronto, Canada, after being auctioned at Christie’s in 2013.
Bruges in an international perspective
This finding confirms the international influence of the Bruges Academy and the intense contact between Bruges and the broader European art world at the beginning of the 19th century. This is a splendid example of how our artists were integrated into a broader European context. It underscores the value of our collection research and the ambition of Musea Brugge to delve even deeper into the stories behind our collection in our new research centre BRON in the Bruges Museum Quarter, alongside art gallery BRUSK.
Musea Brugge continues the research on Ducq and his artist network in the meantime, preparing a scientific article about this discovery.
Image credits:
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 'Portrait d'un gentilhomme', 1813. Pencil on paper, 269 x 195 mm. Private collection of Marilyn and Charles Baillie, Toronto, Canada
- Adriaan Wulffaert, 'Portrait of Joseph Ducq', c. 1829. Lithography, 422 x 296 mm. Musea Brugge, 0017.GRO5337.III. Photo: Dominique Provost
