Jean Clouet

Famed for his portraits of Kings François I and Louis XII

Dutch-born French artist Jean Clouet the younger has long been neglected, with little known of his biography. Famed for his portraits at the court of Kings François I and Louis XII that made him one of the greatest exponents of portrait art, this does not do justice to his abundant and varied oeuvre. His works, painted on small panels and often attributed to the Fontainebleau school, combine elegance and meticulousness. The figures he depicts are painted from the front or in three quarters, very often from waist height, theirs faces illuminated by light. Very few of his paintings have been preserved, unlike his many drawings, including his portraits of Francis I. He was the father of the painter François Clouet, who would continue his artistic heritage.

Francis I, King of France

This is undoubtedly the most famous depiction of Francis I. The work by Jean Clouet, French portraitist and painter to the sovereign from 1516, is painted on a small panel, like many of his works. His model is presented as a bust, almost from the front, with a three-quarters face, and without royal attributes. There is one innovation, however: Francis I looks directly at the viewer. While many portraitists preferred to represent powerful warriors in their armour, Jean Clouet chose to paint the King of France in an outfit of exceptional magnificence (a long jacket in white silk satin and black velvet embroidered with gold thread, topped with striped silk velvet, etc), allowing him to demonstrate the extent of his talent in rendering materials.