Jean Petitot facts for kids
Jean Petitot (born July 12, 1607 – died April 3, 1691) was a very skilled Swiss artist. He was known for painting tiny portraits using a special technique called enamel. He spent most of his career working for the kings and queens of France and England.
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Jean Petitot's Life Story
Jean Petitot was born in Geneva, Switzerland. His family was from Burgundy, France, but they had to leave their home because of their religion. Jean's father, Faule, was a wood carver and architect. In 1615, his father became a citizen of Geneva.
Jean was the fourth son in his family. He learned his craft by training with a goldsmith named Pierre Bordier. Jean and Pierre became very good friends. They felt they weren't learning enough in Geneva, so they decided to travel to France.
Working for Kings and Queens
After working in France for a while, Jean and Pierre went to England. They had letters of introduction to Turquet de Mayerne, who was the doctor for King Charles I. The doctor introduced them to the King.
King Charles I hired them for many important jobs. They created a special St. George image for a royal badge. They also painted many portraits. Some of their famous works include large portraits of Rachel de Ruvigny, Countess of Southampton, and Mary Villiers, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox.
Moving to Paris
When King Charles I was executed, Petitot left England and moved to Paris, France. Pierre Bordier stayed in England and worked for Oliver Cromwell and the English Parliament.
In Paris, Petitot started working with Jacques Bordier, who was Pierre's cousin. Many experts believe that the enamel portraits from this time were a team effort. Petitot would draw the pictures, and Jacques Bordier would handle the special enamel process.
The two artists were given apartments in the famous Louvre palace. They received many jobs from King Louis XIV. They painted portraits of almost every important person in the King's court. Their friendship lasted for 35 years until Jacques Bordier passed away.
Petitot and Bordier also helped their home city of Geneva. They acted like official representatives for Geneva in France. The leaders of Geneva thanked them for their important diplomatic work.
Religious Challenges and Return Home
In 1685, a law called the Edict of Nantes was cancelled in France. This meant that Protestants, like Petitot, faced pressure to change their religion. King Louis XIV tried to protect Petitot for as long as he could.
Eventually, Petitot was arrested with his niece. The King sent a famous bishop, Bossuet, to try and convince Petitot to change his faith. Petitot was in poor health and very sad. He eventually signed a paper saying he would change his religion.
In 1687, Petitot left Paris and went back to Geneva. The church in Geneva welcomed him back after a long discussion. He was allowed to rejoin his Protestant church.
In Geneva, he received a very important job from John Sobieski, the King of Poland. He painted portraits of the King and Queen. Many other jobs followed. Jean Petitot passed away on April 3, 1691, in Vevey, Switzerland. He died while he was painting a portrait of his wife.
Jean Petitot's Artworks
Many of Petitot's artworks can be found in museums and private collections today. A large collection is in the Jones Bequest at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
You can also see many of his pieces in the Louvre in Paris. There are sixteen of his works at Chantilly and seventeen at Windsor Castle in England.
His art was collected by many important people, including Earl Beauchamp and the Duke of Rutland. The Pierpont Morgan collection has many beautiful examples of his work. This includes three drawings on paper, which are very rare. It also has the large signed miniature of the Duchess of Richmond, which was one of his biggest works.
Petitot's Family Life
Jean Petitot married Marguerite Cuper in 1651. His friend Jacques Bordier married Marguerite's younger sister, Anne Madeleine, in the same year.
Jean Petitot had seventeen children! For his children, he wrote a small book. It contained information about his family, portraits of himself and his wife, and also prayers and religious advice. He also wrote another book of prayers for his family. These books and old records have helped us learn a lot about Jean Petitot and his family.
