Carle or Charles-André van Loo (; 15 February 1705 – 15 July 1765) was a French painter, son of the painter Louis-Abraham van Loo, a younger brother of

Jean-Baptiste van Loo Jean-Baptiste van Loo (14 January 1684 – 19 December 1745) was a French people, French subject and portrait painter. Life and career He was born in Aix-en-Provence, and was instructed in art by his father Louis-Abraham van Loo, son of Jac ...

and grandson of Jacob van Loo. He was the most famous member of a successful dynasty of painters of Dutch origin. His oeuvre includes every category: religion,

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...

, mythology, portraiture, allegory, and

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

scenes.

Life

He was born in

Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million Savoyard state The Savoyard state comprised the states ruled by the counts and dukes of Savoy from the Middle Ages to the formation of the Kingdom of Italy. Although it was an example of composite monarchy, it is a term applied to the polity by historians an ...

. Van Loo followed his brother Jean-Baptiste to

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

, and then to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 1712, where he studied under

Benedetto Luti Benedetto Luti (17 November 1666 – 17 June 1724) was an Italian Baroque painter, draftsman, and pastelist. Early life Luti was born in Florence on 17 November 1666. He trained under Anton Domenico Gabbiani before moving to Rome in 1690. Career ...

and the sculptor Pierre Le Gros. After leaving

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in 1723, he worked in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, studied at the

Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture The Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (; ) was founded in 1648 in Paris, France. It was the premier art institution of France during the latter part of the Ancien Régime until it was abolished in 1793 during the French Revolution. I ...

, where he gained first prize for drawing in 1723, and received the first prize for historical painting in 1727—as did his future rival

François Boucher François Boucher ( , ; ; 29 September 1703 – 30 May 1770) was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style. Boucher is known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories ...

. In 1724 he won the

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

. After again visiting Turin in 1727, he was employed by King Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia, for whom he painted a series of subjects illustrative of

Torquato Tasso Torquato Tasso ( , also , ; 11 March 154425 April 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem ''Gerusalemme liberata'' (Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between ...

. In 1734 he settled in Paris, and in 1735 became a member of the ''

'' and rose rapidly in the hierarchy of the academy.

Madame de Pompadour Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour (, ; 29 December 1721 – 15 April 1764), commonly known as Madame de Pompadour, was a member of the French court. She was the official chief mistress of King Louis XV from 1745 to 1751, and rema ...

and the French court took the artist under their patronage. He was decorated with the

Order of Saint Michael The Order of Saint Michael () is a French dynastic order of chivalry, founded by King Louis XI of France on 1 August 1469, in response to the Order of the Golden Fleece founded by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, Louis' chief competitor fo ...

and named First Painter to King

Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...

in 1762. He was a most successful court painter but his portraits as well as history paintings also enjoyed an enormous success throughout all Europe. He died in Paris on 15 July 1765.

Work

By his simplicity of style and correctness of design, the result of his study of the great Italian masters, he did much to purify the modern French school; but the praise that was later lavished upon his productions now appears undue and excessive. His patrons included members of the court, the Gobelins Manufactory, private individuals, and the church. In the ensuing centuries, van Loo's critical fortune has plummeted, although his ability remains admirable, and the quality and variety of his work command respect. His '' Marriage of the Virgin'' is preserved 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 ...

Paintings

File:Charles-André van Loo, Painting.jpg, ''Painting'', 1752-1753,

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

, San Francisco File:Charles-André van Loo, Architecture.jpg, ''Architecture'', 1752-1753, Legion of Honor, San Francisco File:Charles-André van Loo, Sculpture.jpg, ''Sculpture'', 1752-1753, Legion of Honor, San Francisco File:Charles-André van Loo, Music.jpg, ''Music'', 1752-1753, Legion of Honor, San Francisco File:Saint-André qui embrasse sa croix.jpg, ''Saint Andrew'' File:Portrait d'Innocente Guillemette de Rosnyvinen de Pire.JPG, ''Portrait of Innocente Guillemette de Rosnyvinen de Pire'', 1762 File:Charles André van Loo - Perseus and Andromeda - WGA13431.jpg, ''Perseus and Andromeda'' File:Carle Van Loo - Marie Leszczinska, reine de France (1703-1768) - Google Art Project.jpg, '' Marie Leszczyńska, Queen of France (1703-1768)'', 1747,

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

File:Van Loo, Carle. Louis XV, roi de France (1710-1774).jpg, ''

'' (1710-1774) File:Charles André Van Loo - Madame de Pompadour en belle jardinière - v.1754-1755.jpg, ''La Marquise de Pompadour'', 1754-1755, Versailles,

Petit Trianon The Petit Trianon (; French for 'small Trianon') is a Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical style château located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, France. It was built between 1762 and 1768 ...

File:Carle van Loo - The Three Graces, 1763.jpg, ''The Three Graces'', 1763 File:Portrait of William 1st Viscount Bateman.jpg, ''Portrait of William 1st Viscount Bateman'' File:Charles-André van Loo (attr) Mercury and Argus.jpg, ''Mercury and Argus'' File:The Victory of Alexander over Porus LACMA M.2000.179.13.jpg, ''The Victory of Alexander over Porus'' File:Theseus Taming the Bull of Marathon LACMA M.2000.179.15.jpg, ''Theseus Taming the Bull of Marathon'' File:Carle van Loo - Baccus et Ariane.jpg, ''Baccus et Ariane'' File:The Adoration of the Magi LACMA M.81.177.jpg, ''The Adoration of the Magi''

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loo, Charles-Andre van 1705 births 1765 deaths 18th-century French painters French male painters French Orientalist painters Prix de Rome for painting Premiers peintres du Roi 18th-century French male artists Members of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture