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Jean-Marc Nattier
(1688-1766)
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Mademoiselle de Clermont en Sultaine,
1733
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| Jean-Marc Nattier
was a French Rococo-era painter. Nattier's parents were
both painters; his mother created miniature paintings
and his father was a well-known portrait artist.
Naturally, his first training came from his parents, and
his natural talent was so great that he won first prize
at the Paris Academy at the age of fifteen. Nattiers
brother was a painter as well, but sadly took his own
life after being rejected from the Academy. Nattier
refused to continue his studies in Rome, but would
eventually go to work and live briefly in Holland in
1717. While he was in Holland, Nattier met Catherine and
Peter the Great of Russia, and painted both of their
portraits. The couple was so impressed that they invited
him to Russia, but he declined. |
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Portrait of Peter I, 1717
Portrait of Catherine I, 1717
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His new friendship
with the Russian royals led to many commissions for
Nattier from 1717-1720. Though he would eventually
become known for painting mainly portraits, for these
three years Nattier painted historical scenes for the
Russian monarchy, like this one entitled "The Battle of
Lesnaya" 1717. Nattier preferred to paint historical
scenes, but due to hard times was forced to paint mainly
portraits in order to make a living. |
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The Battle of Lesnaya, 1717
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After finishing his
studies, Nattier generally painted oil portraits of
women in classical Greek and Roman style, working mainly
in oils and pastels. Nattier was highly influenced by
Rubens, which is very clear in his portraits. He was the
official painter of Louise XV's ladies of court, and
generally only painted portraits of the upper crust from
1720 on. He became famous for painting his sitters as
ancient Roman goddesses or classical figures. By
painting his sitters as historical or mythological
figures, Nattier was able to add a flair of his beloved
historical paintings to otherwise ordinary portraits. |
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Marie Adelaide of France as Flora,
1742
Madame Adelaide of France as Diane
The Alliance of Love and Wine, 1744
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Nattier sometimes came
under fire for his depictions of classical figures. When
his painting "Portait of a Lady as a Vestal Virgin" was
shown at the salons, he was criticized for painting his
"virgin" too voluptuously. |
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Portrait of a Lady as a Vestal Virgin,
1759
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However, Nattier also
painted a great deal of straightforward portraiture, his
most notable being that of the portrait of Madame Maria
Leszczynska. |
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Portrait of Madame Maria Leszczynska,
1748
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By 1762, Nattier was
forced to retire from painting due to ill health and a
poor financial situation. Some art critics have said
that these later paintings show signs of his growing
fatigue and are not as skillfully executed as paintings
created in his earlier years. |
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Woman with Cello
Percy Wyndham O'Brien, 1744
Joseph Bonnier de la Mosson, 1745
Infanta Isabelle
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Today, many of
Nattiers paintings are held in public collections all
over France, including the Louvre and at Versailles, and
perhaps in your own home. Still wondering about an 18th
century French portrait in your family's collection?
Contact us... it could be by Jean-Marc Nattier. |
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