François de Troy (9 January 1645 – 1 May 1730) was a French

painter Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

and engraver who became principal painter to

King James II James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685, until he was deposed in the 1688 Glori ...

in exile at

Saint-Germain-en-Laye Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. ...

and Director of 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 ...

Early life

One of a family of artists, Troy was born in

Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...

, the son of Antoine Troy ( 28 July 1608 – 15 September 1684), a painter in that city,Robert-Dumesnil, Alexandre Pierre F., ''Le peintre-graveur français, ou Catalogue raisonné des estampes gravées par les peintres et les dessinateurs de l'ecole française'', vol. 7 (1844
p. 337
online at books.google.com (accessed 15 February 2008) and Astrugue Bordes. François Troy and was the brother of the painter Jean de Troy (4 April 1638 – 25 June 1691). Troy was taught the basic skills of painting by his father, and perhaps also by the more worldly Antoine Durand.François de Troy
at safran-arts.com (accessed 15 February 2008) François de Troy is not to be confused with his son, the portrait painter Jean-François de Troy (1679–1752), who studied under him.

Career

At some time after 1662, Troy went to

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 ...

to study portrait painting under Claude Lefèbvre (1633–1675) and

Nicolas-Pierre Loir Nicolas Pierre Loir (1624, Paris – 1679, Paris), was a French painter and engraver of religious and historical allegories. Biography According to the RKD he was a pupil of Sébastien Bourdon and Simon Vouet, who later became a follower of ...

(1624–1679]. A. P. F. Robert-Dumesnil states that this occurred when Troy was aged twenty-four. In 1669, Troy married his master Nicolas-Pierre Loir's sister-in-law, Jeanne Cotelle. In 1671, he was approved (''agréé'') by the

. In 1674, he was received into the Academy as a history painter, with a

reception piece In art, a reception piece is a work submitted by an artist to an academy for approval as part of the requirements for admission to membership. The piece is normally representative of the artist's work, and the organization's judgement of its skil ...

(''morceau de réception'') entitled ''Mercure coupant la tête d'Argus'' (' Mercury cutting off the head of Argus'). Troy's early known works include tapestry designs for

Madame de Montespan Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise of Montespan (5 October 1640 – 27 May 1707), commonly known as Madame de Montespan (), was a French noblewoman and the most celebrated maîtresse-en-titre, royal mistress of King Lou ...

, one of the many mistresses of

Louis XIV of France 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 ...

, and paintings with religious and mythological subjects. In the 1670s, he became friendly with

Roger de Piles Roger de Piles (7 October 1635 – 5 April 1709) was a French painter, engraver, art critic and diplomat. Life Born in Clamecy, Nievre, Clamecy, Roger de Piles studied philosophy and theology, and devoted himself to painting. In 1662 he became ...

, who introduced him to Dutch and Flemish painting, and after the death of Claude Lefebvre in 1675, Troy changed his direction to become a portrait artist, aiming at commissions from Lefebvre's former clients. In 1679 he was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Swedish ambassador Nils Bielke, and in 1680 that of

Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria Maria Anna Christine Victoria of Bavaria (; 28 November 1660 – 20 April 1690) was Dauphine of France by marriage to Louis, Grand Dauphin, son and heir of Louis XIV. She was known as ''la Grande Dauphine''. The Dauphine was regarded a "path ...

, shortly after her marriage to Louis of France, Dauphin of France, the heir to the French throne, on 7 March 1680. Troy became a successful painter of fashionable single and group portraits. His clients included Madame de Montespan, her son by the king,

Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine Louis-Auguste de Bourbon, duc du Maine (31 March 1670 – 14 May 1736) was an illegitimate son of Louis XIV and his maîtresse-en-titre, official mistress, Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, Madame de Montespan. The kin ...

, and his wife Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon. As a result of such commissions, Troy was able to work continuously in court circles for almost fifty years. He was admired for his ability to capture the upper classes and their preoccupation with manners and fashion. Perhaps more importantly, he was said to have the ability to make any woman look beautiful, which made him sought after by all women. In the 1690s, Troy became the principal painter to the court of

in exile at

, where he was the master of Alexis Simon Belle.Corp, Edward, ''Belle, Alexis-Simon (1674–1734)'' in ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'' (Oxford University Press, September 2004 By the years 1698 to 1701, a period of peace between France and Great Britain, Jacobites could cross the English Channel carrying portraits of

James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs (British political party), Whigs or the King over the Water by Jacobitism, Jacobites, was the House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of Ki ...

and his sister Princess Louisa Maria. Troy was then James II's only court painter and needed the help of Belle, his best student, to produce the many portraits commissioned from him. In 1698, he was appointed a Professor of the Académie Royale, and in 1708 became its director. Troy was an engraver as well as a painter. Among his engravings is one of the funeral in 1683 of

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

, the wife of King Louis XIV. Apart from his son, Jean-François, Troy's other students included André Bouys and

John Closterman John Closterman (also spelt Cloosterman, Klosterman; 1660 – 24 May 1711 (buried)) was a Westphalian portrait painter of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His subjects were mostly European noblemen and their families. Career Born in Osna ...

. He died in

at the age of eighty-five.

Work

The portraits painted by Troy include (see image gallery) - *

Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, ( – 14 August 1691) was an Irish politician, courtier and soldier. Talbot's early career was spent as a cavalryman in the Irish Confederate Wars. Following a period on the Continent, he joined the court ...

, 1690 *Lady Mary Herbert, Viscountess Montagu, as Diana, c. 1692 *

Jean de la Fontaine Jean de La Fontaine (, ; ; 8 July 162113 April 1695) was a French Fable, fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his ''La Fontaine's Fables, Fables'', which provided a model for subs ...

Jules Hardouin-Mansart Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Gra ...

(1646–1708) *

Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

(1665–1729)Notes on the Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Portrait
at earlywomenmasters.net (accessed 15 February 2008) * Princess Louisa Maria Stuart (1692–1712), about 1705 *''Portrait d'un couple en Vénus et Pâris'', 1691, 150 cm by 120 cm, now 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 ...

Portrait d'un couple en Vénus et Pâris
at the web site of the

(accessed 15 February 2008)

Gallery

File:Jules Hardouin-Mansart.jpg, File:Louisa Maria Stuart by Jean François de Troy.JPG.JPG, File:Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre-full.jpg, File:François de Troy - Portrait d'un jeune garçon avec un chien.jpg, File:Richard Talbot, Earl of Tyrconnel by François de Troy.jpg, File:The Feast of Dido and Aeneas by François de Troy, 1704.jpg, File:Charles Mouton - François de Troy.jpg, File:Friedrich Baron von Knabenau.jpg, File:Duchess Maria Anna Christina Victoria of Bavaria, 'la Grande Dauphine'..jpg, The Dauphine of France, after 1690 File:The Duchess of Maine depicted as Cleopatra by François de Troy.jpg, File:Portrait painting of Françoise Marie de Bourbon, later Duchess of Orléans by François de Troy.jpg, File:François de Troy - Comtesse de Brionne et de son fils Louis de Lorraine, prince de Lambesc.jpg, The Count of Brionne's wife, ''Marie Madeleine d'Epinay'' and son the Prince of Lambesc, 1697 File:Duchess de la Ferte with the Duke of Brittany and the Duke of Anjou, de Troy.JPG, The Duchess of La Ferté-Senneterre with the

Duke of Anjou The Count of Anjou was the ruler of the County of Anjou, first granted by King Charles the Bald of West Francia in the 9th century to Robert the Strong. Ingelger and his son, Fulk the Red, were viscounts until Fulk assumed the title of count. ...

on her lap and the

Duke of Brittany This is a list of rulers of Brittany. In different epochs the rulers of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary right. Hereditary ...

, 1710 File:Entourage de François de Troy - Portrait d'un mulâtre en armure.jpg, Portrait of a mulatto in armour, c.1680-1730 File:Portrait of a Noblewoman identified as Louise Françoise de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Nantes.jpg, French Noblewoman

Louise Françoise de Bourbon Louise most commonly refers to: * Louise (given name) Louise or Luise may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Songs * "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929 * "Louise", by The Yardbirds from the album '' Five Live Yardbirds'', 1964 * "Louis ...

completed in 1690

References

*Cailleux, Jean, ''Some Family and Group Portraits by Francois de Troy (1645–1730)'' in ''

The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...

'', vol. 113, no. 817 (April 1971), pp. i-xviii *Brême, Dominique, ''François de Troy 1645-1730'' (Paris, ed. Somogy, Editions d'art, 1997, 199 pages, )

Notes

External links

François de Troy
at culture.gouv.fr
François de Troy
at the web site of the

National Portrait Gallery, London The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is an art gallery in London that houses a collection of portraits of historically important and famous British people. When it opened in 1856, it was arguably the first national public gallery in the world th ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Troy, Francois de 1645 births 1730 deaths French Baroque painters French portrait painters French court painters