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| François Clouet (c. 1515–after 1572) | ||||||||||
| François Clouet, also called Jehannet, Jannet, and more frequently Janet, was a French portrait painter and draughtsman, probably born at Tours and active in Paris. His father, Jean Clouet the second, had moved from Brussels to Tours. Around the time of his father’s death, circa 1540, François, because of his father’s service to King François I, was formally naturalised and appointed court painter and groom of the chamber, taking over his father’s position. In that role, he was tasked in 1547, at the death of his patron, with making a wax cast of the hands and face of the deceased king for the state funeral, and he performed a similar task on the death of Henry II in 1559. He kept his position as court painter under François II and Charles IX and was still alive in 1572. His paintings show clear Flemish influences, in contrast to the Italian works then popular in France, which were marked by sentimental affectation and a lack of attention to nature. Clouet, by contrast, focused on truth and accuracy, following the example of the Van Eycks and Memling. Yet his works are not entirely Flemish; they also contain a distinctly French quality, evident in their elegance and the careful choice of viewpoint. His intent is clear at first glance, but it reflects careful study, and closer examination reveals deeper insight into the moral and physical character of his subjects. The delicacy of his forms is especially notable given that he worked with simple pale tones and made no attempt at dramatic shading, demonstrating the lightness of his hand and certainty of touch. François died in Paris. | ||||||||||
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Art