Nicolas de Largillière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicolas de Largillière
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Self-portrait of Nicolas de Largillière
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| Born | 10 October 1656 Paris, France
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| Died | 20 March 1746 (aged 89) Paris, France
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| Education | Antwerp |
| Known for | Painter |
| Movement | Rococo |
Nicolas de Largillière (born October 10, 1656 – died March 20, 1746) was a famous French painter. He was born in Paris, France. He was especially known for his amazing portraits of important people.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Training
Nicolas de Largillière's father was a merchant. When Nicolas was three years old, his family moved to Antwerp. As a young boy, Nicolas also lived in London for almost two years.
After returning to Antwerp, Nicolas tried to work in business, but it didn't go well. So, he decided to study art instead. He joined the studio of a painter named Anton Goubau.
When he was eighteen, Nicolas moved to England again. There, he became friends with and worked for a famous painter named Sir Peter Lely for four years. They worked together in Windsor, Berkshire.
Starting His Painting Career
Nicolas's paintings caught the eye of King Charles II. The king wanted Nicolas to work for him. However, there was some political trouble in England at the time, which made Nicolas feel unsafe. So, he decided to leave England and move back to Paris.
In Paris, people really liked Nicolas's paintings, and he quickly became a popular artist.
When James II became king in 1685, he asked Nicolas to come back to England. King James even offered him a job taking care of the royal art collection. But Nicolas was still worried about the political problems and said no.
Even so, Nicolas made a short trip to London. During this visit, he painted portraits of King James II, the queen Mary of Modena, and the young prince James Francis Edward Stuart. The portrait of King James II was painted in 1686. It shows the king in golden armor with a white scarf, standing in front of a beautiful background.
Joining the French Academy
In 1686, Nicolas painted a portrait of the famous painter Charles Le Brun. Le Brun was the head of the French Academy, a very important art school. The painting showed Le Brun working on an artwork, surrounded by old statues and figures.
Le Brun was very impressed with Nicolas's portrait. He accepted Nicolas into the academy. By 1690, the French Academy recognized Nicolas as a "historical painter." This was a very important title at the time.
In 1693, Nicolas painted a portrait of Pierre de Montesquiou, who was the Governor of Arras. This painting celebrated Montesquiou's promotion in the army.
A large painting by Nicolas from 1694 can still be seen in the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris.
In 1709, Nicolas painted a grand family portrait called The Family of Louis XIV. This painting shows King Louis XIV with his family members, including his young grandson. Nicolas used a special painting style from the Renaissance to arrange the people in the picture.
A year later, Nicolas painted a self-portrait that also included two women from his family.
Later Career
As Nicolas got older, he continued to paint many portraits of important people in Paris. For example, in 1710, he painted a man holding a hidden letter. Around 1715, he painted another man in similar clothes, standing in front of a tall column.
In 1714, Nicolas painted King Augustus II of Poland. He also painted other artists, like Jacques-Antoine Arlaud and the sculptor Nicolas Couston. Around 1715, he created a painting called The Study of Different Types of Hands, which is now in the famous Louvre Museum.
In 1718, Nicolas painted a portrait of the famous French writer and thinker, Voltaire.
In 1720, Nicolas painted a landscape artwork called The Entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
Nicolas painted his last self-portrait in 1725. This painting shows him at his easel, looking out at the viewer.
In 1743, Nicolas was given a very important role: he was made chancellor of the French Academy.
Death and Legacy
Nicolas de Largillière passed away on March 20, 1746, when he was 89 years old. After his death, he gave many of his smaller landscape and still life paintings to France.
Nicolas de Largillière's artworks can be found in many famous museums around the world. These include the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Louvre in Paris, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
Some other famous painters, like Jean-Baptiste Oudry and Jacob van Schuppen, were also influenced by Nicolas. Jacob van Schuppen was even Nicolas's nephew!
Gallery
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Portrait of Elizabeth Throckmorton
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Portrait of Augustus III of Poland
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Portrait of Louise-Madeleine Bertin, Countess of Montchal
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Portrait of a Man in a Purple Robe
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Portrait of Voltaire
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Self-portrait with family
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Portrait of Marguerite de Sève
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La belle Strasbourgeoise (1703)
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Portrait of Marguerite Bécaille
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Portrait of Pierre-Joseph Titon de Cogny
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Portrait of Jeanne-Cécile Le Guay de Montgermon
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Portrait of Catherine Coustard with her son Léonor, Minneapolis Institute of Arts
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Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
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Portrait of an officer, oil on canvas, 1714–15, Art Gallery of New South Wales
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Oil on canvas portrait of Helene Lambert de Thorigny by Nicolas de Largillière (portrait) and Jean-Baptiste Belin (flowers), c. 1696–1700, 63 × 45 in., Honolulu Museum of Art
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Infanta Mariana Victoria of Spain, one-time fiancée of Louis XV
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Anne Geneviève de Lévis, duchessede Rohan-Rohan by marriage and only daughter of Madame de Ventadour
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An Alderman of Paris, 1703, oil on canvas, The Detroit Institute of Arts
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Portrait of a lady with a dog and a monkey (1700–1710)
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André François Alloys de Theys d'Herculais (1692–1779)
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Portrait of Thomas Germain and his wife Anne-Denise Gauchelet in 1736
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Portrait of Barthélemy-Jean-Claude Pupil, 1729, Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
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See also
In Spanish: Nicolas de Largillière para niños
