Charles Le Brun

See also: Lebrun

Charles Le Brun (1619 - 1690), is a painter and decorator French of the 17th century, which was especially illustrated in the decoration of the Château of Versailles and the Galerie of the Ices.

Biography

Charles Le Brun was born with Paris in 1619. At 11 years, it is located by the chancellor Pierre Séguier who entrusts it to the workshop Simon Vouet. He learns his trade near this large Master and François Perrier. He leaves on a journey with Nicolas Poussin in Italy in 1642, where there remain 4 years thanks to the financial aid of the chancellor; on its return to Paris in 1646, it receives several orders. The superintendent of finances of the king, Fouquet asks him to work with the decoration of sound Château of Be worth-the-Viscount (1656 - 1661). With Philippe de Champaigne, it obtains from the king the foundation of the Royal Académie of Painting and Sculpture in 1648.

After the disgrace of Fouquet, Charles Le Brun passes to the service of the sun king: as of 1660, it takes care of the decoration of the royal entry of Louis XIV in Paris. The same year, it contributes to the creation of the Manufacture of the Goblins and becomes the director about it. Anobli by Louis XIV in 1662, it is then First painter of the King and receives a pension of 12.000 books. In 1663, it is named director of the Royal Academy by Colbert which wishes to reorganize it. In 1666, they found the Académie from France to Rome.

Person in charge of the interior decoration of the Castle of Versailles, it has under his orders several tens of artists and craftsmen. He also works for other personalities. He dies the February 22nd 1690 with the Gobelins and is buried in the church Saint-Nicolas-of-Hanging-post.

Its style

  • official Painter, his style is with the service of the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV. This is why he was scorned by the romantic painters XIXe century and little known of the general public. Certain historians of art consider it, just like the King Louis XIV had then proclaimed it, the XVII century old great painter French . In its will to celebrate the absolute capacity, the Brown one uses concepts and symbols of being able that it mixes: in the gallery of the Ices, the French order makes the synthesis of the ancient and French objects (cock, lily). The Sun becomes the allegory of the good government. It represents Louis XIV as a perfect prince, like the result of the preceding princes.
  • Large fabrics, large sizes on a topic (example: History of Alexandre , in Louvre)
  • Topics: battles, mythology, portraits

Major works

  • decoration of the ceiling of the Gallery of Apollo, with the Louvre
  • decoration of the Castle of Be worth-the-Viscount: room of the king, Time removing with the Sky the Truth .
  • cupola of the house of the Dawn to the Castle of Seals
  • murals of the ceiling of the Gallery of the Ices
  • the apotheosis of Romulus , together of eight paintings to the ceiling of a living room of the Hotel of Aumont, Paris
  • tables:
    • the Sleep of the Child Jesus , with the Louvre
    • the Chancellor Séguier with his continuation , Louvre
    • fabrics of History of Alexandre

Work written: Method to learn how to draw passions (1698), delivers posthumous which had a great influence on the art of the XVIIIe century.

Its disciples

Among tens of people who worked under her orders at one time or another, it is necessary to note:

External bonds

  • detailed Biography and photographs of works
  • Charles Le Brun in Artcyclopedia

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