Francis Bourgeois facts for kids
Sir Peter Francis Lewis Bourgeois (born November 1753 – died 8 January 1811) was a famous painter. He specialized in painting landscapes and historical scenes. He was also a court painter for King George III of the United Kingdom.
Later in his life, he became an art dealer and collector. He worked with a French friend named Noël Desenfans. They were asked by the Polish king, Stanisław August Poniatowski, to gather a large art collection. They spent five years doing this. However, the king had to leave his country in 1795. This meant their plan could not be finished. They were left with many valuable paintings.
Bourgeois lived longer than Desenfans. He decided to give all the art to Dulwich College. He also gave £2000 to build a special place for the paintings. This building became the Dulwich Picture Gallery. It was England's first public art gallery built just for showing art.
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Early Life and Art Training
Peter Francis Bourgeois was born in London in November 1753. His father, Isaac Emanuel Bourgeois, was a successful watchmaker from Switzerland. His mother was Elizabeth Bourgeois. Peter also had a sister.
When Peter was fifteen, his mother passed away. His father then left him and his sister. After this, a writer named Noel Joseph Desenfans took Peter under his care. Desenfans had moved to Britain from France in 1769.
Bourgeois learned how to paint from a teacher named Philip James de Loutherbourg. In 1776, when he was 23, Bourgeois traveled around Europe. While in Warsaw, Poland, he met Bishop Michal Jerzy Poniatowski. The bishop was the brother of the Polish king, Stanislaw II.
Becoming a Royal Artist
In 1776, Noel Desenfans married Margaret Morris. She was a wealthy woman whose brother was a well-known industrialist. By the 1780s, Margaret and Noel Desenfans began collecting and selling paintings. Bourgeois lived with them in their London home.
In December 1787, Bourgeois became an Associate of the Royal Academy. This is a group of important artists. He became a full member on 11 February 1793. For this, he gave one of his landscape paintings to the Academy.
In 1791, Bourgeois's friend, Michal Poniatowski, visited London. He asked Bourgeois to paint a picture of King Stanislaw. This painting is now in the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Because of this painting, Bourgeois received a special Polish medal called "Merentibus." King George III allowed him to use the title 'Sir' in Britain.
Building a Royal Art Collection
While in London, Michal Poniatowski asked Noel and Margaret Desenfans and Bourgeois to create a royal art collection for Poland. For the next five years, Bourgeois traveled around Europe with Margaret and Noel Desenfans. They bought many paintings. Bourgeois also continued his own painting. In 1794, he was named the landscape painter to King George III.
The collection they gathered for King Stanislaw included works by famous artists. These included Vernet, Rembrandt, and Veronese. In 1795, Desenfans became the Polish consul general in London. But a few months later, King Stanislaw was forced to give up his throne. This left the art dealers with the huge collection.
They tried to sell the collection to the Russian ruler or the British Government. But they were not successful. In 1799, Desenfans wrote a plan for creating national art galleries in Britain. He hoped their collection could be the start of one. In 1802, he showed the collection in London, but it still did not sell.
Founding the Dulwich Picture Gallery
Bourgeois, like the Desenfans, wanted the art collection to be shown to the public. When he passed away in 1811, he left the entire collection to Dulwich College. He also left £10,000 to build a public gallery. This led to the creation of the Dulwich Picture Gallery. It was one of the first public art galleries in Britain.
The famous architect Sir John Soane designed the gallery. He also designed a special burial place, called a mausoleum, next to it. Bourgeois, Margaret Desenfans, and Noel Desenfans are all buried there in sealed coffins. You can sometimes see them if you ask.
Bourgeois's death was caused by a horse riding accident. He refused to have his leg removed and sent his doctor away. His body was later placed in the mausoleum at Dulwich Picture Gallery.
Portraits of Bourgeois
Several portraits were made of Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois. One painting by William Beechey is in the National Portrait Gallery. Another by James Northcote is at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. A pencil drawing of him was made by George Dance the Younger. He also appears in a group painting of the Royal Academicians from 1795.
Images for kids
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The sealed coffin of Sir Peter Bourgeois, Dulwich Art Gallery
