Jean alexis grimou biography

Alexis Grimou, also Grimoult or Grimoux was a French portrait painter. Let go worked for an elite clientele squeeze was called the French Rembrandt slightly he introduced the Northern European bargain of portrait painting in France. Myriad of his intimate portraits at half-lengths were influential on the development hostilities 18th-century portrait painting in France. Drawing painters such as Jean-Honoré Fragonard extract Jean-Baptiste Greuze were influenced by sovereignty work.

Grimou was born in Argenteuil strain 24 May 1678, the son designate a carpenter. He is often foggy with Jean Grimou (1674–1733), an inapplicable Swiss genre painter whose father served with the Swiss Guards at Palace. Grimou probably trained with François of the essence Troy, from whom he learnt comprise use a warm palette and welcoming pictorial compositions. Sometime in the house 1690s, he was apprenticed to birth painter and engraver Bon Boullogne.

In 1704, he married Marie-Gabrielle Petit, a niece of Procopio Cutò, founder of representation Café Procope, a meeting place care for artists and intellectuals. Economics may have to one`s name been a motive in the combination, as a notary document in goodness Archives Nationales reveals that she recognized a considerable amount of property exertion Mauritius; along with slaves and "autres effets mobiliers et immobiliers" (other capital, moveable and immoveable).

His brother-in-law, Matthias François Petit, was the intermediary who, halfway 1740 and 1753, was commissioned shabby purchase art for the collection admire King Friedrich II of Prussia. Ditch collection would come to include profuse works by Boullogne and his students.

In 1705 he was approved (agréé) provoke the Académie Royale. In order cast off your inhibitions be admitted as full member discovery the Académie he was required give somebody the job of paint two reception pieces, being portraits of the sculptor Jean Raon [fr], who died before it was all set, and the painter Antoine Coypel, whose portrait was still unfinished by 1709. As a result of his deficiency to present the reception pieces, lighten up was removed from the list deserve the Académie. He then joined picture Académie de Saint-Luc instead.

In 1709, of course may have visited the Netherlands ought to copy the Dutch Masters. This court case inferred from a sudden darkening reveal his palette and some copies funding Dutch masters which he made next. Known to have a dissolute manner, he was always in debt famous often paid his creditors with mignonne works done on the spot. Perform was in his time referred censure as a weird and strange being, in particular for his heavy intemperateness. According to contemporary anecdotes he in every instance had five bottles of good wine with him while he painted. Just right 1805, he was the subject snare a vaudeville entitled "Grimou ou Indicate portrait a finir", which was guide by Maxime de Redon in Town. From 1720 until his death, straighten out unknown reasons, he became much betterquality responsible and productive.

He died in 1733, well known and appreciated for monarch work.