Antoine-François Callet (1741–1823), generally known as Antoine Callet, was a French painter of portraits and allegorical works, who acted as official portraitist to

Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

. He won the grand prix de Rome in 1764 with ''Cléobis et Biton conduisent le char de leur mère au temple de Junon'' ('' Kleobis and Biton dragging their mother's cart to the temple of Juno''). He was accepted by the Académie des beaux arts in 1779, with his entry piece being a portrait of the comte d'Artois, and received with his allegory ''Le printemps'' (''Spring'') in 1781. He exhibited at the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

from 1783 onwards. He painted the centre of the ceiling of the grande galerie of the palais du Luxembourg, with a composition entitled ''L'Aurore'' (''

Aurora An aurora ( aurorae or auroras), also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly observed in high-latitude regions (around the Arc ...

''). Under the

French Consulate The Consulate () was the top-level government of the First French Republic from the fall of the French Directory, Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 9 November 1799 until the start of the First French Empire, French Empire on 18 May 1804. ...

and the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

he painted several more allegories, including an ''Allégorie du dix-huit brumaire ou la France sauvée'' (''Allegory of 18 Brumaire, or France saved'' - 1801, château de Versailles) and an ''Allégorie de la bataille d'Austerlitz'' (''Allegory of the Battle of Austerlitz'' - 1806, château de Versailles). Callet died in 1823 in Paris.

References

* Marc Sandoz, ''Antoine-François Callet, 1741-1823'', Ed. Éditart - Quatre Chemins, Tours, 1985.

External links

La Tribune de l'Art, on a document by Antoine Callet at auction
, later bought by the Parisian gallery Didier Aaron. 1741 births 1823 deaths 18th-century French painters French male painters 19th-century French painters 19th-century French male artists 18th-century French male artists {{France-painter-18thC-stub