Peter (Pierre-Etienne) Falconet (1741–1791) was a French portrait painter.

Life

Falconet was born in Paris, the son of the sculptor Etienne Maurice Falconet. His first studies were probably in the

French Academy French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

, but his father, who was friendly with

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

, sent his son to England to work under the painter's direction. He came to London about 1766, in which year he obtained a premium of twenty guineas for a painting in ''

chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...

''; in 1768 he gained another of twenty-six guineas for an historical composition. He was a member of the

Incorporated Society of Artists The Society of Artists of Great Britain was founded in London in May 1761 by an association of artists in order to provide a venue for the public exhibition of recent work by living artists, such as was having success in the long-established P ...

, and contributed to their exhibitions from 1767 to 1773, and occasionally to the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...

, mostly portraits. Some time after 1773 Falconet returned to France, and married Marie-Anne Collot, his father's assistant, and herself a sculptor. He continued to paint, and died in 1791.

Works

Falconet is best known in England by a set of portraits of eminent artists, drawn in profile in blacklead, with a slight tint of colour on the cheeks; these were engraved in the dotted manner by D. P. Pariset, and also by Burnet Reading.They comprise portraits of

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, James Paine, W. W. Ryland,

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, Sir Joshua Reynolds and others. Many of his other portraits were engraved, among them being:

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, Viscount Nuneham, the Earl and Countess of Marchmont and their son, Lord Polwarth,

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, all engraved by D.P. Pariset; Elizabeth, Countess of Harcourt, Elizabeth, Countess of Ancrum, Mrs. Green and her son, and others engraved in mezzotint by

Valentine Green Valentine Green (3 October 173929 July 1813) was a British mezzotint, mezzotinter and print publisher. Green trained under Robert Hancock (engraver), Robert Hancock, a Worcester, England, Worcester engraver, after which he moved to London and be ...

; others were engraved by Hibbert, James Watson, John Dixon, Gabriel Smith, and J. F. Bause. There is a small engraving, from a design by Falconet, representing the interior of his father's studio. He also engraved himself some designs of

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 ...

. His daughter, Madame Jankowitz, bequeathed a collection of his works to the Museum at Nancy, comprising portraits of himself and family, pictures and drawings, besides some plaster busts by his wife, including one of Falconet himself. He decorated a Chinese temple for Lady de Grey at

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References

* ;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Falconet, Peter 1741 births 1791 deaths 18th-century French painters French male painters Painters from Paris 18th-century French male artists