Nicolas Mignard (), also known as Mignard d’Avignon, (7 February 1606 (baptised) – 20 March 1668) was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits.Lada Nikolenko. "Mignard." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 22 May. 2017 He spent most of his active life in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

creating religious and mythological paintings for religious institutions and stately homes but ended his career as court painter in Paris.Nicolas Mignard
at the Getty Museum

Biography

Nicolas Mignard was born in

Troyes Troyes () is a Communes of France, commune and the capital of the Departments of France, department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within ...

in 1606 as the son of Pierre and Marie Gallois. He came from a family of artisans. He was the older brother of

Pierre Mignard Pierre Mignard or Pierre Mignard I (; 17 November 1612 – 30 May 1695), called "Mignard le Romain" to distinguish him from his brother Nicolas Mignard, was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits. He was a ...

, who became one of the leading French painters of the 17th century and a rival of

Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (; baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French Painting, painter, Physiognomy, physiognomist, Aesthetics, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. He served as a court painter to Louis XIV, ...

.Albert Babeau, ''Nicolas Mignard - sa vie et ses oeuvres''
in: 'Annuaire administratif et statistique du département de l'Aube... / publié sous les auspices et la direction de la Société d'agriculture, sciences, arts et belles-lettres du département', Société académique de l'Aube, 1895, p. 113-124 Venus and Adonis by Nicolas Mignard

Nicolas Mignard studied painting with a local master of Troyes whose identity is unknown. He travelled subsequently to

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau ( , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the Kilometre zero#France, centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a Subprefectures in Franc ...

where he copied the works of the Mannerist painters. He likely also spent time in Paris where he is believed to have studied with

Simon Vouet Simon Vouet (; 9 January 1590 – 30 June 1649) was a French painter who studied and rose to prominence in Italy before being summoned by Louis XIII to serve as Premier peintre du Roi in France. He and his studio of artists created religious and ...

. Mignard then spent some time in Lyon before moving to

around 1633. He then traveled to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in the retinue of Alphonse-Louis du Plessis, the Cardinal Archbishop of Lyon and brother of Cardinal Richelieu. Mignard came back to Avignon in 1636, after having executed several series of

etching Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other type ...

s in Rome, principally after the works of

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci ( , , ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother Agostino Carracci, Agostino and cousin Ludovico Carracci, Ludovico (with whom the Ca ...

. In Avignon he mostly painted for religious institutions as well as decorations for opulent residences. He married Marguerite d'Avril. Their son Paul Mignard became a painter and etcher and their son

Pierre II Mignard Pierre II Mignard (20 February 1640 – 10 April 1725) was a French architect and painter. He was the son of painter Nicolas Mignard and the younger brother of Paul Mignard, a portrait painter. Biography Pierre II Mignard was born and died in ...

a painter and architect. When King

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

and his Court visited Avignon on their way to the King's wedding with

Maria Theresa of Spain Maria Theresa of Spain (; ; 10 September 1638 – 30 July 1683) was Queen consort of France, Queen of France from 1660 to 1683 as the wife of King Louis XIV. She was born an Infante, Infanta of Spain and Portugal as the daughter of King Philip IV ...

, Mignard was commissioned to paint portraits of various courtiers including

Cardinal Mazarin Jules Mazarin (born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino or Mazarini; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), from 1641 known as Cardinal Mazarin, was an Italian Catholic prelate, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Lou ...

. Mazarin ordered Mignard by

lettre de cachet ''Lettres de cachet'' (; ) were letters signed by the king of France, countersigned by one of his ministers, and closed with the royal seal. They contained orders directly from the king, often to enforce actions and judgments that could not b ...

to come to Paris in 1660. Mignard joined the

Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture The Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (; ) was founded in 1648 in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime until it was abolished in 1793 during the French Revolution. I ...

in 1663 without having to submit an admission piece. He became Professor and Assistant Rector of the Académie in 1664 and Rector in 1666. He was a supporter of Charles Le Brun in his conflict with his own brother Pierre. He and later his son Paul would be on poor terms with Pierre over this conflict of Pierre with Le Brun. Nicolas Mignard died on 20 March 1668 in Paris.

Work

Mignard painted history scenes as well as portraits. As he spent most of his life in Avignon he was somewhat overshadowed by his younger brother Pierre, who had made a career in Paris. After his death, paintings by Nicolas Mignard mostly stayed in Avignon or in small cities around Avignon. During the French Revolution, many paintings were expropriated from their owners. Many of the works of Nicolas that were thus confiscated were subsequently erroneously attributed to his brother

Pierre Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

.Anthony Blunt, ''The Burlington Magazine''
Vol. 121, No. 918 (Sep., 1979), pp. 603–605+607 His earliest work showed the influence of the Mannerists working in Fontainebleau and of Carracci. Later his style followed the Italianate classicizing aesthetic that dominated seventeenth-century France, and was very much influenced by the French classical Baroque painter

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mignard, Nicolas 17th-century French painters French male painters French Baroque painters French engravers People from Troyes 1606 births 1668 deaths Sibling artists Mythological painters Members of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture

Biography

Work

References

Further reading

External links