The seventeenth century French paintings

Abstract

The National Gallery possesses an outstanding collection of French seventeenth-century paintings, in part a reflection of the enthusiasm with which British collectors once acquired the works of Poussin and Claude. Many of the greatest works of these two French masters are in the Gallery; some, such as Claude's Enchanted Castle and Poussin's Triumph of Pan, acquired since the publication in 1957 of The French School by Martin Davies. In this new catalogue, Dr Wine takes a fresh look at these masterpieces, together with the work of artists such as Laurent de La Hyre, Philippe de Champaigne, Valentin de Boulogne and the Le Nain Brothers. Important paintings such as Champaigne's full-length Cardinal Richelieu, La Hyre's Allegorical Figure of Grammar and Eustache Le Sueur's Alexander and his Doctor are discussed in full. New research and information based on re-examination of each picture are combined with full-page colour illustrations, including details, technical photographs and comparative illustrations. This catalogue provides both an invaluable reference for studying seventeenth-century French painting, and a closer look at some of the most beautiful paintings in the Gallery's collection.