Andre Félibien

Biography

Born with Chartres, it left to Paris at fourteen years to continue its studies. In 1647, it was sent to Rome in the capacity as embassy secretary of the Marquis de Marueil. It made profitable its stay in Rome to study its monument antiques, to discover the literary treasures of its libraries, and to weave friendships with the fine well-read men and the art lovers of the city, with which it was put in contact thanks to its translation of the Vie of Magpie V of the cardinal Barberini. Among these friends, Nicolas Poussin brought invaluable councils to him. During its stay in Rome it maintained with Valentine Conrart, Secrétaire perpetual of the French Academy, a correspondence having in particular for object the literary news on bottom of the disorders of the Sling and the military and diplomatic events which will lead to the signature of the Treaties of Westphalia (Letters familiar of Mr. Conrard to Mr. Félibien, in-12 347 pages, Paris, Barbin and Billaine, 1681).

Of return in France, it Maria and, in the hope to find an employment, settled in Paris. Fouquet, then Colbert recognized its talents. It became one of the first members (1663) of the Académie of the inscriptions and the humanities. Three years later, Colbert made name it Historiographe of the king. In 1671 it was named secretary of the royal Académie of lately founded architecture, and in 1673 preserving of the cabinet of antiquities to the Palais of Brion. Louvois added to these loads that of controller-general of the roads and bridges.

Despite everything these activities, Félibien found time for the study and research, and produced many literary works.

Among those, best and the most known is:

Talks on the lives and the works of the most excellent old and modern painters , which appeared in several volumes, the first in 1666, and the fifth in 1688. The book was republished with several additions with Amsterdam in 1706, and with Trévoux in 1725.

The principal ones are:

Origin of painting , 1660;
Principles of architecture, the sculpture, the painting and other arts, with a Dictionary of the clean terms , 1676 - 1690;
summary Description of the castle of Versailles , 1674;
Description of the tables, the statues, etc, of the royal houses , 1687.

Félibien wrote also descriptions of the Trap door, and tables and statues of the royal residences. Inter alia literary works, it published the conferences of the Academy of painting, and translated of Spanish the interior Château of the heart of Therese d' Avila.

During its life, it was faithful to the currency that it had adopted: Bucket facere and will vera dicere . He died in Paris in 1695.

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