Jean-Marc Nattier

Jean-Marc Nattier
1685-1766

Studies

Under Marc Nattier, his father, who was portrait and history painter, in his youth
Under Jean Jouvenet, his uncle, who was a history painter, in his youth
Royal Academy, 1703

Career

Publication of his studies of Peter Paul Rubens' works, 1710
Commissioned to paint portraits of Czar Peter the Great and his wife Catherine, 1715
Refused position as a court painter to Russia, 1717
Accepted into the Paris Academy as a History Painter, 1718

Jean-Marc Nattier aspired to be a historical painter. Through his studies of other artist's works at the Luxembourg Palace, he won first prize at the Paris Academy when he was fifteen years old. He devoted himself to historical compositions between 1715 and 1720. The financial collapse in 1720 forced Nattier to return to portraiture, which was much more lucrative. He is known for being a portraitist of Parisian society, especially bringing back into vogue the allegorical style. Nattier is considered one of the foremost portraitists of the day.