Clouet

Clouet
Clouet
The family name of several generations of painters

Catholic Encyclopedia. . 2006.

Clouet
    Clouet
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Clouet
    The family name of several generations of painters.
    Jean (Jean the Younger)
    Born at Tours, France, 1485; died, probably at Paris, between 1541 and 1545. He was the son and pupil of Jean the Elder, a Flemish painter who went to Paris from Brussels in 1460 and afterwards settled at Tours. Francis I made the son court painter at Paris, and, in 1518, a valet de chambre, a post of distinction. The court called him familiarly "Janet", a name which became generic, comprising his father, his son François, and their numerous imitators. Ronsard sang:
    Peins moy, Janet, peins moy je t'en supplie.
    
    His numerous portraits of royalty and nobility are all in the antique, or Gothic, style, like that of the Van Eycks. His outlines are sharp and precise, all the lines are clear, and he gives great attention to details. Clouet painted his sitter with fidelity and avoided theatrical (Italian) effects, hence the result is a portrait, simple, reticent, and naive. Much of his work was until recently attributed to Holbein. In 1524 he painted the celebrated portrait of Francis I in full armour on horseback, and in 1528 another, a life-size bust (now at Versailles), long ascribed to Mabuse. Some authorities claim that of his many pictures only one is authentic: the portrait of Francis I in the Louvre. Other notable works of Clouet's are "Eleanor of Spain" (wife of Francis I) in Hampton Court, and "Margaret of Valois" in Liverpool.
    François, called François Janet and Maitre Jehannet
    Born probably at Tours, between 1500 and 1520; died at Paris, between 1570 and 1580. He was the son and pupil of Jean the Younger and was naturalized in 1541. At the age of thirty-five he succeeded his father as court painter to Francis I, to whom he was also appointed a valet de chambre. François was also court painter to Charles IX, at the close of whose reign all traces of him disappear. Clouet's work in oil, while Flemish in its scrupulous attention to details, is, however, distinctively French, and he carried to its highest the fame of "the Janets". He was the last of the French primitifs. His pictures are painted solidly, in pale, delicate tones, and without chiaroscuro. Clouet's portraits are true, accurate, and devoid of sentimentality; they show forth the moral and intellectual qualities of each sitter; and they "have the charm of intime painting" (Blanc). Two portraits of great brilliancy and distinction are the "Francis II as a Child" (1547) now at Antwerp, and "Henry II" (1553) in the Louvre; but Berlin possesses what are, perhaps, his masterpieces: "Francis II" and the "Duc d'Anjou" (Henry III). Clouet's office required him to depict every great court function, and as late as 1709 such a group of pictures was in existence. He made many sketches in black and red chalk, showing perfect draughtsmanship and splendid modelling. Castle Howard contains eighty-eight such drawings, all in the manner of Holbein. Clouet also painted miniatures; that of greatest historical interest is "Mary Queen of Scots" (Windsor Castle), which has never been out of royal possession since catalogued, in the time of Charles, as "by Jennet a French limner". It is probably the only authentic picture of the unhappy Mary. Clouet's work was highly valued during his lifetime, and he was a power at the courts of Francis I, Henry II, Francis II, and Charles IX. The brilliant men and women about these monarchs felt that "the Janets" had elevated art and France. To-day their pictures are so highly prized that many forgeries are made of them. Besides those mentioned, other great canvases by François are "Elizabeth of Austria", "Charles IX", both in the Louvre, and four portraits in Stafford House (London). Collections of his drawings are in the Louvre, British Museum, and Albertina Museum (Vienna).
    LEIGH HUNT
    Transcribed by Gerald M. Knight

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • CLOUET (F.) — CLOUET FRANÇOIS (entre 1505 et 1510 1572) Fils de Jean Clouet, à qui il succéda dans la charge de peintre officiel de la Cour dès la mort de ce dernier, on ne possède guère plus de renseignements sur la vie de François Clouet que sur celle de son …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • CLOUET (J.) — CLOUET JEAN dit JANET (1485 env. env. 1540) Peintre officiel de François Ier, Jean Clouet figure parmi les valets de chambre du roi à partir de 1516, sous les ordres de ses confrères Jean Perréal et Jean Bourdichon. D’origine flamande, il apporta …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Clouet — is a surname, and may refer to: François Clouet (c. 1510–1572) French Renaissance miniaturist and painter Jean Clouet (1480 1541), French Renaissance miniaturist and painter, and father of François Clouet Michel Clouet (1770–1836), Canadian… …   Wikipedia

  • Clouet — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: François Clouet (1510–1572), französischer Maler, Sohn Jean Clouets Jean Clouet (1480–1541), niederländisch französischer Maler Louis de Clouet, französischer General Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Clouet — Clouet, François, llamado Jehannet o Janet Clouet, Jean …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Clouet — (spr. Kluäh), 1) Jean, geb. 1485, Niederländer von Geburt, ging nach Frankreich, wo er 1518 Maler des Königs wurde, u. st. 1541. Er malte viele Portraits von Mätressen des Königs Franz I. 2) Franz, gen. Janet, Sohn des Vorigen, französischer… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Clouet — (spr. kluä), 1) François, franz. Maler, Sohn des niederländischen Malers Jean C., der sich zu Tours und dann zu Paris niedergelassen. Dieser wurde nach seinem Vornamen Janet (eigentlich Jehannet) genannt, welcher Name auf den Sohn überging.… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Clouet — (spr. kluéh), François, genannt Janet, franz. Bildnismaler, geb. um 1500, wie sein Vater, Jean C., franz. Hofmaler, gest. 1571; Bildnisse: Franz I., Karl IX. etc …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Clouet — (frz. Klue), François, genannt Janet, Hofmaler unter den frz. Königen Franz I., Franz II. u. Karl IX., Porträtmaler im Styl der Niederländer, st. 1572 …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Clouet — [klo͞o e′, klo͞oā′] 1. François [frän swȧ′] 1510? 72?; Fr. portrait painter: son of Jean 2. Jean [zhän] 1485? 1540?; Fr. portrait painter of Fl. descent * * * …   Universalium

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