In the portraits from this period, Ingres, setting his models against plain backgrounds, concentrates on rendering their psychological depth. This is particularly obvious in the portrait of Monsieur Bertin, which powerfully conveys the subject's strong and passionate determination. It is the very image of a man who not only is a master of his own destiny but seems able to curb current events.

A few years later, Ingres produced his Portrait of the Duc d'Orléans. This complex composition elaborately brings out the rigid verticality of the model's pose against a contrasting set of horizontal lines. The picture is animated by the curved silhouette of the arms, and by a rich play with colors based on the opposition of reds and blacks.