Henri de Favanne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henri de Favanne
Portrait of Henri de Favanne by Jacques Autreau (1741)
Born	Henri Antoine de Favanne 3 October 1668 London, England
Died	27 April 1752 (aged 83) Paris, France
Nationality	English
Awards	Grand Prix de Rome

Henri Antoine de Favanne (born October 3, 1668 – died April 27, 1752) was a talented painter. He was born in England but became a famous French artist. He was known for painting historical scenes.

Sketch for La bataille d’Almança ou La bataille de Villaviciosa (c.1714)

Henri de Favanne: A Life in Art

Early Life and Training

Henri de Favanne was born in London, England, on October 3, 1668. When he was 20 years old, in 1688, his family moved back to France. There, he began to study painting. His teacher was René-Antoine Houasse, who was a student of the famous artist Charles le Brun.

In 1693, Henri traveled to Italy. This was a very important trip for artists back then. While in Italy, he won a major art prize called the Grand Prix de Rome. This award helped young artists study in Rome. After his time in Italy, he spent ten years working in Spain. He worked for a very important lady named Madame des Ursins.

Returning to France and Major Works

Henri de Favanne returned to France in 1714. Madame des Ursins' secretary, Jean d’Aubigny, hired him for a big project. He was asked to decorate a new castle called the Château de Chanteloup.

At the château, Henri painted many beautiful scenes. He decorated a long room called a gallery with ten paintings. These paintings showed important moments from the life of King Philip V. He also painted a salon (a fancy living room) and the chapel. Sadly, the Château de Chanteloup no longer exists today.

However, some of his studies and paintings from the château still survive. You can find three of his studies in French museums. For example, The Triumph of Justice is in the Louvre Museum. The Kingdoms of Valencia and Aragon Surrender to Philip V is in the Musée des Beaux-Arts at Lille. Another important study, The Battle of Almança or The Battle of Villaviciosa, is in the Musée des Beaux-Arts at Tours. This museum also has two other paintings by Favanne that used to be in the château.

Later Life and Legacy

Later in his life, Henri de Favanne became a very respected artist in Paris. He was chosen to be the rector of the Academy. This was a high position in the art world. He passed away on April 27, 1752, at the age of 83.