The 17th-century Flemish artist Peter Paul Reubens and the 19th-century French artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres had little in common outside of their profession, as both used very different styles in their art . Reubens' work is classified in the Baroque style, a period between 1600 and 1750 in contrast to the earlier perfection of Renaissance art, while Ingres' work is classified in the Neoclassical style, which the praise of the Greek and Roman classics which inspired the artists of the Renaissance (Kleiner). Yet the two distinct periods and painting styles that influenced the painters also share small similarities, through visual quality and iconography. Reuben's portrait of Susanna Fourment and Ingres' portrait of Françoise Poncelle clearly belong to specific artistic movements, but certain aspects of the painting remain timeless, with each artist drawing inspiration from earlier works. Peter Paul Reubens' paintings were strongly influenced by the location of his studio in Antwerp. The city's banking sector led to an emphasis on works that a family could purchase, often among the upper middle class rather than among the immensely wealthy. This emphasis gave more time to portraiture, in place of church altarpieces or large-scale palace paintings, which could be displayed in family homes with more modesty. The Baroque period, a term that comes from the Portuguese word "barroco" or "irregularly shaped pearl" (Kleiner), is known for its bright colors, emphasis on the relationship of reality with fantasy, and its theatrical and dramatic quality. . Many of Reubens' paintings are allegorical, colorful, and inspired by many artists of the past as well as his current era. After the Renaissance period, artists took classical influence...... middle of paper...... This style of painting emphasized the natural human form instead of smooth finishes replacing d 'thick swirls or strokes of paint to accurately convey the human form, which is shown explicitly in Ingres' portrait. Although both works are portraits, each depicts the subject in different ways. The hard lines and blurred features convey a mysterious attachment to Reuben's portrait, while the defined lines and photographic details of Ingres' portrait attach a formal connotation. The demand for home patronage spread from Antwerp in the late 1600s to early 1800s France, but what made a truly exemplary portrait evolved with the shift in time. Each work reflects the era while continuing to explore the parallels between different artistic styles and movements, connecting artists together through their differences and similarities..