In 1660, he co-founded the Gobelins factory which became the leading maker of tapestries. He also set what became ‘Louis XIV Style’ in furniture.
narrative
His talent was spotted early, and he was taken to Rome to study under Poussin in his workshop. He returned to Paris and became the king’s ‘greatest French artist of all time’.
With the exception of his early history paintings and a few portraits of men, his entire career was devoted to painting beautiful women.
A sibyl, or an allegory of painting? Maybe the ‘maid of Corinth’ who legends says ‘invented’ painting. And are they spinners, or the story of Arachne?
Three religious paintings, including two skilfully-told narratives, a history, and the only nude of his to have survived.
The seven painted stories, with paintings by Mei, Millais, Leighton, Botticelli, Stillman, and Lancret, and links to each article.
The last story of the last day tells of a bride and mother who undergoes the senseless brutality of her husband, and three superb narrative panels telling the story.
Buried in the introduction to day 4, this became La Fontaine’s fable of Brother Philippe’s Geese, was painted by Boucher and others, entered French idiom, and was alluded to by a vanished painting by Gauguin.
Review of paintings and related articles published here in the second half of 2018, starring Tintoretto, Gérôme. Bonnard, Schiele, and Poussin.
Viewed as classic and fit for narrative painting, Faust is about good and evil, a powerful story which has inspired powerful paintings.
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