Jacques Gaultier
Encyclopedia
Jacques Gaultier (born ca. 1600, fl. 1617 – 1652) was a French Baroque lute
nist. He was not related to the composers and lutenists Denis Gaultier
and Ennemond Gaultier
.
Not much is known about his early life. In 1617, he had to leave France due to a duel
and he escaped to England. He enjoyed the patronage of George Villiers
, the favourite of James I of England
. In 1622, Gaultier met Dutch poet and composer Constantijn Huygens
, with whom he engaged in an exchange of letters. From 1625, he was a musician at the English royal court under Charles I of England
. He had to remain there at least until 1640 as he appears as an employee in the court records for that year. In 1627, he was convicted and imprisoned because of English royal family defamation.
In 1630, he travelled to the Netherlands. From there he went to Madrid to play at the Spanish court. In the early 1630s, Gaultier returned to England. Around 1632, he was portrayed by Anthony van Dyck
. Then he was employed again as a court musician, among others, at the performances of the masques The Triumph of Peace
(1634) by James Shirley
and William Davenant
's Britannia triumphans (1637).
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
nist. He was not related to the composers and lutenists Denis Gaultier
Denis Gaultier
Denis Gaultier was a French lutenist and composer. He was a cousin of Ennemond Gaultier.-Life:...
and Ennemond Gaultier
Ennemond Gaultier
Ennemond Gaultier was a French lutenist and composer. He was one of the masters of the 17th century French lute school....
.
Not much is known about his early life. In 1617, he had to leave France due to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
and he escaped to England. He enjoyed the patronage of George Villiers
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, the favourite of James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. In 1622, Gaultier met Dutch poet and composer Constantijn Huygens
Constantijn Huygens
Constantijn Huygens , was a Dutch Golden Age poet and composer. He was secretary to two Princes of Orange: Frederick Henry and William II, and the father of the scientist Christiaan Huygens.-Biography:...
, with whom he engaged in an exchange of letters. From 1625, he was a musician at the English royal court under Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. He had to remain there at least until 1640 as he appears as an employee in the court records for that year. In 1627, he was convicted and imprisoned because of English royal family defamation.
In 1630, he travelled to the Netherlands. From there he went to Madrid to play at the Spanish court. In the early 1630s, Gaultier returned to England. Around 1632, he was portrayed by Anthony van Dyck
Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
. Then he was employed again as a court musician, among others, at the performances of the masques The Triumph of Peace
The Triumph of Peace
The Triumph of Peace was a Caroline era masque, "invented and written" by James Shirley, performed on February 3, 1634 and published the same year. The production was designed by Inigo Jones.-Inspiration:...
(1634) by James Shirley
James Shirley
James Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
and William Davenant
William Davenant
Sir William Davenant , also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned both the Caroline and Restoration eras and who was active both before and after the English Civil...
's Britannia triumphans (1637).
Sources
- Article on German Wikipedia