Bertholet Flemalle
Encyclopedia
Bertholet Flemalle, Flemal, or Flamael (1614 – 1675) was a Flemish
Baroque
painter.
to Florence
and employed in decorating one of his galleries. Thence he moved to Paris where he carried out some elaborate decorative work at Versailles
and painted for the sacristy
of the church of the Augustinians
his picture of the Adoration of the Magi. He returned to Liège in 1647 and executed many paintings for the churches of his native town. In 1670 he was invited to return to Paris, and painted the ceiling of the audience room in the Tuileries. Louis XIV made him a professor of the Royal Academy of Paris. Towards the close of his life he returned to Liège and was elected a lay canon
of the church of St. Paul, and painted several works for the Prince-Bishop
of the city. His The Glorification of the Holy Cross is in St Bartholomew's Church, Liege
. A few years before he died he reportedly fell into a state of profound melancholy and had to be placed under the care of a medical man, in whose house he died. It has been argued that his colouring is pale and weak and his figures somewhat artificial. He is believed to have painted a portrait of Colbert
and by some writers is stated to have been a pupil at one time of Jordaens, but this has never been verified. Gerard de Lairesse
was one of his pupils.
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
painter.
Biography
The son of a glass painter, he was instructed in his art by Henri Trippet and Gerard Douffet successively. He visited Rome in 1638, and was invited by the Duke of TuscanyTuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and employed in decorating one of his galleries. Thence he moved to Paris where he carried out some elaborate decorative work at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
and painted for the sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
of the church of the Augustinians
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
his picture of the Adoration of the Magi. He returned to Liège in 1647 and executed many paintings for the churches of his native town. In 1670 he was invited to return to Paris, and painted the ceiling of the audience room in the Tuileries. Louis XIV made him a professor of the Royal Academy of Paris. Towards the close of his life he returned to Liège and was elected a lay canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of the church of St. Paul, and painted several works for the Prince-Bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
of the city. His The Glorification of the Holy Cross is in St Bartholomew's Church, Liege
St Bartholomew's Church, Liège
Founded outside the city walls, the Roman Catholic Collegial Church of Saint Bartholemew in Liège, Belgium, was built in coal sandstone, from the late 11th century to the late 12th century , and underwent, like most religious buildings, modifications through the centuries...
. A few years before he died he reportedly fell into a state of profound melancholy and had to be placed under the care of a medical man, in whose house he died. It has been argued that his colouring is pale and weak and his figures somewhat artificial. He is believed to have painted a portrait of Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert was a French politician who served as the Minister of Finances of France from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His relentless hard work and thrift made him an esteemed minister. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French manufacturing...
and by some writers is stated to have been a pupil at one time of Jordaens, but this has never been verified. Gerard de Lairesse
Gerard de Lairesse
Gerard or Gérard de Lairesse was a Dutch Golden Age painter and art theorist.Lairesse was born in Liège. His broad range of talent included music, poetry, and the theatre. He was perhaps the most celebrated Dutch painter in the period following the death of Rembrandt...
was one of his pupils.
Further reading
- Biography at Infoplease