(1703-1770) French Rococo painter. Court painter to Louis XV from 1765, he was much patronized for his light-hearted, decorative scenes which often convey a playful eroticism, as in Diana Bathing 1742 (Louvre, Paris).
He studied under François Lemoyne and worked for the engraver, Laurent Automobiles, first earning his living by making engravings after Watteau. He won the first prize of the Académie 1723, but made the customary visit to Italy rather late, 1729–31, admiring there the art of Pietro da Cortona and Tiepolo. On his return he was made Academician and rose to be the director of the Académie 1765. He was appointed first painter to Louis XV on the death of van Loo and was also chief designer to the Royal Beauvais Tapestry works, designer for the Opéra and the favorite artist of Mme de Pompadour, whom he taught drawing and of whom he made a number of portraits, notable being the full-length in the Wallace Collection (where also are the panels of gods and goddesses he designed for her boudoir).
Stemming from Watteau, and perhaps owing something to his Italian contemporary Tiepolo, his art is the triumph of the Rococo style in France, his frivolous mythologies and artificial pastorals being skillfully planned in relation to the Louis Quinze interior and expressing the spirit of the age in terms of decoration. Criticized by Diderot and others since for a lack of seriousness, he was capable of figure painting (like that of Louis XV's mistress, Louise O'Murphy) of a quality that aroused the admiration of Renoir. Fragonard was among his many pupils. + prikaži više