Les copistes du Cabinet des tableaux de la surintendance des Bâtiments du roi au xviiie siècle

Abstract

Created in around 1670 by Louis XIV, the Cabinet of Paintings held exclusive reproduction rights to portraits of the king and the royal family and was managed by the superintendence of the Bâtiments du Roi. For both constitutional bodies and individuals, obtaining an original or a copy of a royal portrait was a real challenge: there were many demands, and at the height of Louis XVI’s reign, just seven copyists were employed to meet these requests. Overlooked – and poorly paid – the copyists of the Cabinet of Paintings could demonstrate, however, great skill. They also created originals for the royal apartments, and some are distinguished by their talent, including Jean-Martial Frédou, who acquired a certain notoriety with his portraits of the Duke of Burgundy.

Keywords

• painting
• copyist
• Cabinet of Paintings
• Versailles
• Bâtiments du roi
• Menus Plaisirs