Benoît Audran the Elder (23 November 1661 – 3 September 1721) was a French engraver. The second son of Germain Audran, he was born at

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

s. He received his first instruction in the art of

engraving Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ar ...

from his father; but had afterwards the advantage of studying under his uncle, the celebrated

Gérard Audran Gérard Audran (or Girard Audran) (2 August 164026 July 1703), was a French engraver of the Audran family, the third son of Claude Audran the Elder, Claude Audran. Life He was born in Lyon and was taught the first principles of design and engrav ...

. Although he never equalled the admirable style of his uncle, he engraved many plates of historical subjects and portraits, which have justly established his reputation. His style, like that of Gérard, is bold and clear; his drawing of the figure is very correct; and there is a fine expression of character in his heads. He was received into the

Academy An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

in 1709, and was appointed engraver to the king, with a pension. He died in 1721, in the village of Ouzouer, near

Sens Sens () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yonne Departments of France, department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France, 120 km southeast from Paris. Sens is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture and the second la ...

. His portrait, after J. Vivien, has been engraved by his nephew Benoit, the younger. The following are his principal plates:

Portraits

*''Charles le Goux de la Berchere, Archbishop of Narbonne''; after L. de Boulogne. *''

Jean Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...

''; after C. Lefebvre; oval. *'' Joseph Clement of Bavaria, Elector - Archbishop of Cologne''; after J. Vivien. *''Henri de Beringhen''; after Nanteuil. 1710. *''Samuel Frisching, General of the Swiss'': after J. Huber. 1713. *''J. F. A. Willading''; after J. Huber. 1718. *''Equestrian Statue of

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

''; after Desjardins; by B. and J. Audran.

Subjects after various masters

*''The Baptism of Jesus Christ''; after Albani. *''David with the Head of Goliath''; after a picture in the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

, formerly attributed to

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

, but now ascribed to

Daniele da Volterra Daniele Ricciarelli (; 15094 April 1566), better known as Daniele da Volterra (, ), was a Mannerism, Mannerist List of Italian painters, Italian painter and sculpture, sculptor. He is best remembered for his association with Michelangelo. Sev ...

; two plates, engraved in 1716 and 1717. *''Moses defending the Daughters of Jethro''; after Le Brun. *''The Espousals of Moses and Zipporah''; after the same. *''The Elevation of the Cross''; after the same. 1706. *''The Descent from the Cross''; after the same. *''An allegorical subject — Holland accepting Peace''; after the same. *''Zephyrus and Flora''; after Ant. Coypel. *''The Pleasures of the Garden''; two friezes; after Mignard; engraved by Benoit and Jean Audran. *''The Saviour with Martha and Mary''; after Le Sueur. *''St. Paul preaching at Ephesus''; after the same. *''Alexander drinking the Cup which his Physician presents him''; after the same. *''The Accouchement of Marie de Medicis''; after

Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged compositions reference erudite aspects of clas ...

. *''The Exchange of the Two Queens''; after the same. Luxembourg Gallery.">Musée_du_Luxembourg.html" ;"title="he two last form part of the Musée du Luxembourg">Luxembourg Gallery. Several other prints by this artist are specified in the ' Dictionnaire des Artistes,' by Heineken, and in Joseph Meyer (publisher)">Meyer Meyer may refer to: People *Meyer (surname), listing people so named * Meyer (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Companies * Meyer Burger, a Swiss mechanical engineering company * Meyer Corporation * Meyer Sound Labo ...

Portraits

Subjects after various masters

References