François de Troy | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Troy from 1703 by his student and Academy memberAlexis Simon Belle | |
| Born | 9 January 1645 |
| Died | 1 May 1730(1730-05-01) (aged 85) |
| Known for | Painting |
| Children | Jean-François de Troy |
| Patrons | Courts ofJames II of England andJames Francis Edward Stuart in exile, French court |
| Director of theAcadémie de Peinture et de Sculpture | |
| In office 1708–1711 | |
| Monarch | Louis XIV |
| Preceded by | Jean Jouvenet |
| Succeeded by | Corneille Van Clève |
François de Troy (9 January 1645[2] – 1 May 1730[3]) was aFrenchpainter andengraver who became principal painter toKing James II in exile atSaint-Germain-en-Laye and Director of theAcadémie Royale de peinture et de sculpture.
One of a family of artists, Troy was born inToulouse, the son of Antoine Troy (bapt. 28 July 1608 – 15 September 1684), a painter in that city,[4] and Astrugue Bordes. François Troy and was the brother of the painterJean de Troy (4 April 1638 – 25 June 1691).[5] Troy was taught the basic skills of painting by his father, and perhaps also by the more worldly Antoine Durand.[4][6]
François de Troy is not to be confused with his son, the portrait painterJean-François de Troy (1679–1752), who studied under him.[7]
At some time after 1662, Troy went toParis to study portrait painting underClaude Lefèbvre (1633–1675) andNicolas-Pierre Loir (1624–1679].[6] A. P. F. Robert-Dumesnil states that this occurred when Troy was aged twenty-four.[4]
In 1669, Troy married his master Nicolas-Pierre Loir's sister-in-law, Jeanne Cotelle.[6]
In 1671, he was approved (agréé) by theAcadémie Royale de peinture et de sculpture. In 1674, he was received into the Academy as a history painter, with areception piece (morceau de réception) entitledMercure coupant la tête d'Argus ('Mercury cutting off the head ofArgus').[4][6]
Troy's early known works include tapestry designs forMadame de Montespan, one of the many mistresses ofLouis XIV of France, and paintings with religious and mythological subjects.[6]
In the 1670s, he became friendly withRoger de Piles, 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 ambassadorNils Bielke, and in 1680 that ofMaria Anna Victoria of Bavaria, shortly after her marriage toLouis of France, Dauphin of France, the heir to the French throne, on 7 March 1680.[6] Troy became a successful painter of fashionable single and group portraits.[8] His clients included Madame de Montespan, her son by the king,Louis Auguste, Duke of Maine, and his wifeLouise Bénédicte de Bourbon.[6]
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.[6] Perhaps more importantly, he was said to have the ability to make any woman look beautiful, which made him sought after by all women.[9]
In the 1690s, Troy became the principal painter to the court ofKing James II in exile atSaint-Germain-en-Laye, where he was the master ofAlexis Simon Belle.[10]
By the years 1698 to 1701, a period of peace between France and Great Britain, Jacobites could cross the English Channel carrying portraits ofJames Francis Edward Stuart and his sisterPrincess 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.[10]
In 1698, he was appointed a Professor of the Académie Royale, and in 1708 became its director.[11][12]
Troy was anengraver as well as a painter. Among his engravings is one of the funeral in 1683 ofMaria Theresa of Austria, the wife of King Louis XIV.[4]
Apart from his son, Jean-François, Troy's other students includedAndré Bouys[4] andJohn Closterman.
He died inParis at the age of eighty-five.[4]
The portraits painted by Troy include (see image gallery) -
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