Two Philosophers
Artist:
Simon Vouet
(French, 1590 - 1649)
Place made:Italy
Culture: French
Date: early- 17th century
Medium: Chalk on buff paper
Dimensions:
9 1/2 × 14 in. (24.1 × 35.6 cm)
with frame: 20 5/8 × 16 1/4 in. (52.4 × 41.3 cm)
Credit Line: San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Karen Hixon
Object number: 2013.18
Provenance: Karen Hixon (1951-), San Antonio, by gift to San Antonio Museum of Art, 2013
Label Text
Vouet was a gifted painter and draftsman, who today is remembered for introducing the Italian Baroque style to France. Born in Paris, he spent an extensive period of time in Italy from 1613 to 1627 studying important artists of the day, and assimilating various elements of their styles. Vouet was considered to be one of the important painters of the day and his commissions in Rome were sizeable. This lovely drawing of the heads of two men is considered to be a sketch for one of his impressive paintings dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi in the Alaleoni Chapel in San Lorenzo in Lucina, Rome (1623-1624), for which he also painted the impressive wall frescos.
Despite his enormous success in Rome, Vouet suddenly returned to Paris in 1627, on the order of King Louis XIII to decorate his royal palaces. He became the dominating force in French painting, training a generation of painters. His most influential student was Charles LeBrun, who designed the interior decorative painting at Versailles and dictated the official style at the court of Louis XIV.
Despite his enormous success in Rome, Vouet suddenly returned to Paris in 1627, on the order of King Louis XIII to decorate his royal palaces. He became the dominating force in French painting, training a generation of painters. His most influential student was Charles LeBrun, who designed the interior decorative painting at Versailles and dictated the official style at the court of Louis XIV.
Not on view
In Collection(s)
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
