Lebrun Charles

French painter, draughtsman and art theorist, one of the founders of the classical "grand style" of the Louis XIV era. He had a significant impact on the artistic life of France in the second half of the 17th century, becoming a key figure at the court of the "Sun King".

Biography and career

Lebrun was born in Paris. At the age of 11, under the patronage of the future French Chancellor Pierre Seguier, he became an apprentice to the court artist Simon Vouet. At the age of 15, he was already carrying out orders from Cardinal Richelieu, and in 1642 he went to Rome with Nicolas Poussin, where he studied with him for four years and studied ancient sculpture, works by Raphael and the Bologna school.

Returning to Paris in 1646, Lebrun acquired influential patrons, including Superintendent of Finance Nicolas Fouquet, who commissioned him to paint a portrait of Anne of Austria. Later, he joined the service of Cardinal Mazarin.

In 1648, Lebrun became one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris, in 1655 — its rector, and in 1683 — director. In 1664, he received the title of "the king's first painter" (Premier Peintre du Roi) and a lifetime pension after creating the first painting in a series of paintings about Alexander the Great. Since 1662, Lebrun has controlled all the artistic commissions of the court.

In 1660, he organized a Tapestry Manufactory, and in 1666 he founded the French Academy in Rome, which is still in operation. Since 1663, Lebrun headed the Royal Manufactories of Tapestries and furniture, creating cardboard for tapestries, sketches of furniture, silverware and other items.

Creation

Lebrun worked in the genre of historical painting and portraiture, and was a master of monumental murals. His style combined the normality of classical composition with the theatrical pathos and decorative splendor of the Baroque.

Lebrun played a key role in the interior design of the Louvre (Apollo Gallery) and Versailles. He painted the Mirror Gallery, the salons of Peace and War, the Staircase of the Ambassadors (not preserved), and also created sketches for park sculpture. His work at Versailles became an example of the aesthetics of absolutism and influenced palace art throughout Europe.

Influence and legacy

Lebrun was not only an artist, but also a theorist whose ideas determined the tastes of the era. He led the Academy and the industrial workshops, influencing the worldview of an entire generation of artists. After the death of his patron Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1683, Lebrun's influence waned. He died in 1690, having failed to complete some projects — they were completed according to his sketches by other craftsmen.

Lebrun's students include Charles de Lafosse, Rene—Antoine Wass, Jean Jouvenet, Michel Cornel Jr., Hyacinthe Rigaud and Francois Verdier. His work became an important part of the artistic tradition of French classicism and academicism of the 17th century.