François Clouet (Turns, v. 1515 - Paris, December 22nd 1572), wire of Jean Clouet, is a painter of the court of France. He was the portraitist of the kings Henri II, François II and of Charles IX. He carried out very many portraits in bust of the court of France. Its last large masterpiece is the portrait of the queen Elisabeth of Austria.

François Clouet is a painter of probably Flemish origin naturalized in 1551. His life almost anything else is not known. He is, just like his father, the portraitist of the court under the reigns of François Ier, Henri II and Charles IX. Its work is voted by plebiscite by the court at the point to ensure to him quasi the monopoly of the portraits of court.

François Clouet continues the work of his father for the execution of the portraits whose Jean was the inventor, but it further goes in particular in its works from gallant sets of themes (the Lady with the bath) and satirists (the Joke of Grecx gone down). Its work was abundantly copied from where the problems of attribution for some of its works. But the art of François Clouet is diffused widely thanks to its workshop where work of the painters such as Jacques Patin or Simon Roy one can thus speak for the portraits about court about the formula “Clouet” which will not change during decades.

Some titles of works:

• Henri II in foot, 1559

• the Bath of Diane, 1558-1559
• Pierre Quthe, apothecary, 1562
• Charles IX, 1566
• Elisabeth of Austria, 1571
• Lady with the bath, 1571