violon d’Ingres

ByFast French

The French saying “violon d’Ingres” literally translates as “violin of Ingres.” What it really means is “hobby,” “pastime,” or “an activity that you enjoy outside your main job.”

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a 19th century painter who created a number of famous works, including Grande Baigneuse (1808), Oedipus and the Sphinx (1808), and La Grande Odalisque (1814).

Outside of his talent for painting, Ingres was also a talented violin player. His violin playing was good, though not remarkable. For a while, he even played among the second violins for the orchestra of Toulouse.

This expression dates back to the start of the 20th century.

The nearest English equivalents are “hobby,” “avocation” and “to have a second string to one’s bow.”

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • Parler français comme une vache espagnole

    ByFast French

    “Parler français comme une vache espagnole” means to speak French with difficulty, to speak French very badly, or just to speak any language badly. But it literally means “to speak French like a Spanish cow!” How did this phrase, which is insulting to both Spaniards and to cows, come about? The saying dates back to…

  • le tour & la tour

    ByFast French

    Unraveling the Distinction: “Le Tour” vs. “La Tour” in French There are a few words (homonyms) in French where the same word with the same spelling exists, but there is one meaning for the masculine version and a completely different meaning for the feminine version. So when speaking or listening, it is important to distinguish…

  • après & avant

    ByFast French

    The French word “après” can function either as a preposition or as an adverb. It means “after” or “afterwards.” It is used before a noun, such as “après la pluie” (after the rain), or “après la guerre” (after the war). When it is used before a phrase containing a verb, the word “que” is added…

  • |

    singing

    ByFast French

    How do you talk about singing in French? There are a few words – some verbs, some nouns. The verb “to sing,” which is “chanter.” The noun “a song,” which is “une chanson.” And the noun “the singing,” which is “le chant.” There is another verb “entonner,” which means “to start singing,” or “to launch…

  • verb: écrire

    ByFast French

    The French verb “écrire” means “to write.” Conjugation Homologues The French language has several verbs that share the same suffix “-crire,” making them homologues of “écrire.” These verbs are also irregular and conjugated similarly to “écrire.” They often revolve around the concept of writing or describing. Etymology The word “écrire” comes from the Latin word “scribere.”…

  • Verb: rappeler & se rappeler

    ByFast French

    Meanings:“Rappeler” is a transitive verb, meaning “to remind” or “to call back.” It means to bring something or someone to one’s attention again. On the other hand, “se rappeler” is a reflexive verb, meaning “to remember” or “to recall.” Conjugation:Note the irregular spelling in the singular forms (je, tu & il) and the third person…