The Life of Paul Mignard
Paul Mignard was a French painter and etcher born in Avignon. He was part of an important artistic family; his father was Nicolas Mignard and his uncle was the prominent history and portrait painter Pierre Mignard. As a pupil of his uncle, Mignard eventually gained admission to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 11 June 1672. The work that earned him this admission was a large Portrait of Nicolas Mignard, which depicts his father in a studio with a palette, brushes, and a copy of the Architettura di Palladio.
Mignard's career took him to Italy during the 1670s and to England, where he painted portraits. He also served as court painter to the family of the Elector in Bavaria, painting several portraits of the Elector and his wife. In 1690, he was appointed ordinary painter of the city of Lyons, a role that required him to paint portraits of city officials.
Artistic Style and Works
Mignard is known mainly as a portrait painter. Following the style learned from his uncle, his court portrait painting emphasized elegant poses and elaborate details of lavish costumes to highlight the high status and affluence of his sitters. His notable works include:
- A self-portrait dedicated to Henriette Adelaide of Savoy.
- A portrait of Jean-Baptiste Lully.
- A series of portraits of beauties executed for the Duke of Savoy in the mid 1670s.
- The publication Ode à Mr Le Brun pemier peintre du Roy, presented to the Académie in 1683.
