Jacques Rousseau
Encyclopedia
This is an article about Jacques Rousseau the 17th century French Huguenot painter, for the 17th century Dutch painter see Jacques des Rousseaux
and for the French long jumper see Jacques Rousseau (athlete)
.
Jacques Rousseau (June 4, 1630 – December 16, 1693) was a French
painter.
family, Rousseau was born at Paris
. He was noted as a painter
of trompe l'œil, decorative landscapes and classic ruins, somewhat in the style of Canaletto
, but without his delicacy of touch; he appears also to have been influenced by Nicolas Poussin
. While young Rousseau went to Rome
, where he spent some years in painting the ancient ruins, together with the surrounding landscapes. He thus formed his style, which was artificial and conventionally decorative. His colouring for the most part is unpleasing, partly owing to his violent treatment of skies with crude blues and orange, and his chiaroscuro usually is much exaggerated. On his return to Paris he soon became distinguished as a painter, and was employed by Louis XIV and Philippe d'Orleans to decorate walls at Versailles
, Saint Germain
, Marly
and other locations (all destroyed except two at Versailles). He was soon admitted a member of the Académie de peinture et de sculpture
, but on the revocation of the edict of Nantes
he was obliged to take refuge in Holland, and his name was struck off the Academy roll. From Holland he was invited to England by the duke of Montague, who employed him, together with other French painters, to paint the walls of his palace, Montague House (on the site of which is now the British Museum
). Rousseau was also employed to paint architectural subjects and landscapes in the palace of Hampton Court, where many of his decorative panels still exist. He spent the latter part of his life in London
, where he died in 1693. Examples of his work are in the British Museum, Windsor Castle, Boughton House (Northants) and Aston Hall (Birmingham).
Besides being a painter in oil and fresco
Rousseau was an etcher of some ability; many etchings by his hand from the works of the Annibale Caracci and from his own designs still exist; they are vigorous, though coarse in execution. He was influenced by the painter Herman van Swanevelt
, whose sister he married.
Jacques des Rousseaux
Jacques des Rousseaux , was a French Baroque painter active in Leiden.-Biography:According to the RKD he was a pupil of Rembrandt in Leiden from 1630 onwards. He is known for genre works in the manner of Rembrandt....
and for the French long jumper see Jacques Rousseau (athlete)
Jacques Rousseau (athlete)
This is an article about Jacques Rousseau the athlete. For the 17th century French Huguenot painter, see Jacques Rousseau.Jacques Rousseau is a French athlete born on March 10, 1951 in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe...
.
Jacques Rousseau (June 4, 1630 – December 16, 1693) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
painter.
Biography
A member of a HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family, Rousseau was born at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was noted as a painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
of trompe l'œil, decorative landscapes and classic ruins, somewhat in the style of Canaletto
Canaletto
Giovanni Antonio Canal better known as Canaletto , was a Venetian painter famous for his landscapes, or vedute, of Venice. He was also an important printmaker in etching.- Early career :...
, but without his delicacy of touch; he appears also to have been influenced by Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin was a French painter in the classical style. His work predominantly features clarity, logic, and order, and favors line over color. His work serves as an alternative to the dominant Baroque style of the 17th century...
. While young Rousseau went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he spent some years in painting the ancient ruins, together with the surrounding landscapes. He thus formed his style, which was artificial and conventionally decorative. His colouring for the most part is unpleasing, partly owing to his violent treatment of skies with crude blues and orange, and his chiaroscuro usually is much exaggerated. On his return to Paris he soon became distinguished as a painter, and was employed by Louis XIV and Philippe d'Orleans to decorate walls 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...
, Saint Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
, Marly
Marly
-France:* Marly, in the Moselle département* Marly, in the Nord département* Marly-Gomont, in the Aisne département* Marly-la-Ville, in the Val-d'Oise département...
and other locations (all destroyed except two at Versailles). He was soon admitted a member of the Académie de peinture et de sculpture
Académie de peinture et de sculpture
The Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture , Paris, was founded in 1648, modelled on Italian examples, such as the Accademia di San Luca in Rome. Paris already had the Académie de Saint-Luc, which was a city artist guild like any other Guild of Saint Luke...
, but on the revocation of the edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
he was obliged to take refuge in Holland, and his name was struck off the Academy roll. From Holland he was invited to England by the duke of Montague, who employed him, together with other French painters, to paint the walls of his palace, Montague House (on the site of which is now the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
). Rousseau was also employed to paint architectural subjects and landscapes in the palace of Hampton Court, where many of his decorative panels still exist. He spent the latter part of his life in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he died in 1693. Examples of his work are in the British Museum, Windsor Castle, Boughton House (Northants) and Aston Hall (Birmingham).
Besides being a painter in oil and fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
Rousseau was an etcher of some ability; many etchings by his hand from the works of the Annibale Caracci and from his own designs still exist; they are vigorous, though coarse in execution. He was influenced by the painter Herman van Swanevelt
Herman van Swanevelt
Herman van Swanevelt was a Dutch painter and etcher from the Baroque era.-Life:Herman was born in Woerden to a family of thriving artisans whose ancestors included the famous painter Lucas van Leyden. The identity of Swanevelt’s teacher remains a mystery...
, whose sister he married.