Painting in France in the 17th Century
Painters working in Paris and the rest of France followed
divergent paths during the early 17th century.
Ambroise Dubois (1534—I614) and
Martin Freminet (1567-1619), members of the
so-called Second School of Fontaine-bleau, produced outstanding
works in the Mannerist style, while the small but splendid court
of the Duke of Lorraine was captivated by the elegant, whimsical
paintings of Jacques Bellange (active in Nancy from 1602 to
1616). Many artists rejected Mannerism, however, including Frans
Pourbus II the Younger (1569-1622). After nine years in the
service of the Duke of Mantua, he became court painter in Paris
in 1609, and specialized in portraits and religious pictures
such as The Last Supper (I618).
Despite Marie de Medicis' commission of Rubens for the sumptuous
cycle of historical and allegorical paintings for the gallery of
the Palais du Luxembourg (now in the Louvre), there was little
change in prevailing tastes. Young French painters continued to
perfect their technique in Italy, and from 1610 onwards, many
became followers of Caravaggio, including
Simon Vouet
(1590-1649), Vignon, Regnier, Tournier, and, above all,
Valentin de Boulogne (1591-1632). On the whole
Valentin reworked
themes introduced by Bartolomeo Manfredi (1580-1620), but his
"cabinet" pictures - paintings of a suitable size and subject to
adorn the walls of bougeois homes - have a remarkable
psychological depth. Vouet's knowledge of 16th-century Venetian
painting is reflected in his high colouration and subtle palette
in paintings such as Time Subjugated by Hope, Love and Beauty
(1612). As France's economic and political strength grew — from
1624 onwards Cardinal Richelieu was Louis XIII's chief minister
- many artists were encouraged to return to Paris. As chief
court painter, Vouet set the fashion for "lyrical" painting,
which satisfied the demand for a brilliant and decorative style.
A more Caravaggist way of painting found favour in the south of
France and Lorraine, where Georges de La Tour (1593-1652) was
active. During the Regency (1643-61), a reaction in favour of
greater elegance of drawing and form, inspired by classical
models, was further stimulated by the movement towards
classicism in Rome and by the example of
Nicolas Poussin, who
pursued his career in the papal city from 1624 onwards.
Poussin's classicism was inspired by
Raphael and
Titian and was
to remain a point of reference for French art, thanks to its
formal perfection and refined intellectualism. This was also
true of the work of Claude Gellee, known as
Claude Lorrain
(1600-82), who worked mainly in Rome and was influenced by
Flemish painters in the city.
Lorrain's idealized style of
landscape painting was famous for its formal perfection and
timeless quality. The founding of the Academie Royale de la
Peinture in Paris (1648) was a turning point for French
painting. One of the founder members,
Philippe de Champaigne
(1602-74), was born in Brussels but worked in Paris from 1621
onwards; his historical subjects and portraits combined
psychological insight with an almost photographic accuracy.
Among the most influential figures of the time was
Eustache Le
Sueur (1616-1655), who painted in a restrained manner inspired by
classical antiquity, as is shown in his Apparition of the Virgin
to Saint Martin, (1654). Charles Le Brun followed
Poussin's
example and travelled to Italy, staying there for four years.
This multi-talented artist painted religious subjects and was an
extremely skilled decorative painter. From 1656 onwards, he
supervised the interior decoration of Vaux-le-Vicomte, the
chateau of Louis XIV's chief minister, Colbert, who supported
Le Brun's appointment as director of the French Academy and its
school, and. from 1661. of the Gobelins tapestry factory.
Le Brun established the grand style of Louis XIV's reign and in his
paintings for Versailles he was able to display his classicism
in sumptuous mythological, allegorical, and historical
compositions celebrating the king's power. His last works, such
as his two Nativities, reminiscent of
Poussin, were more
intimate and emotional.
Another 17th-century French master,
Jacques Callot (1592-1635),
also came from Lorraine; he worked in Rome and Florence until
1621, when he returned to France. His etchings, with their
meticulously defined figures, and the originality and scope of
his themes and compositions made a lasting contribution to
Baroque art.
Les Caprices, Les Bohemiens, and Les GrandesMiseres de la Gueire
express his sympathy for all that was strange, sad, and unusual
about contemporary life and inspired many later artists,
including Goya.
