Hyacinthe Rigaud was a painter whose career spanned the reigns of the Bourbon dynasty, establishing him as a primary portraitist of the French nobility. Born in Perpignan in 1659, he navigated the transition of his home region from the Principality of Catalonia to France, eventually rising to become a court painter in Paris.
Early Development and Training
The son of a tailor and grandson of painter-gilders, Rigaud began his training in his father's workshop before studying under Antoine Ranc in Montpellier starting in 1671. He moved to Lyon four years later, a period in which he observed the techniques of Flemish, Dutch, and Italian artists. These formative years exposed him to the work of Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt, and Titian.
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Upon arriving in Paris in 1681, Rigaud successfully pursued institutional recognition. Although he earned the first Prix de Rome for painting in 1680, he declined the travel grant on the advice of Charles Le Brun. He gained admission to the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1700, serving within the institution until his resignation in 1735.
A Legacy of Portraiture
As a portraitist, Rigaud created an extensive gallery of French leadership between 1680 and 1740. His subjects included aristocrats, ministers, and wealthy members of the bourgeoisie. Notable paintings include the Portrait of Everhard Jabach, the Portrait of Anne-Jules de Noailles, and the group portrait depicting the city officials of Paris deliberating a celebration in honor of Louis XIV.
Fast facts
- Born: 1659, Perpignan
- Died: 1743, Paris
- Citizenship: France and Principality of Catalonia
- Primary occupations: Painter, portraitist, architectural drafter
- Movement: Baroque painting
- Award: First Prix de Rome for painting (1680)
- Professional affiliation: Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture
- Languages: French, Catalan
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Hyacinthe Rigaud paint most often?
He focused primarily on portraiture, capturing the likenesses of members of the French nobility, financiers, ministers, and wealthy bourgeoisie.
Did Rigaud travel to Rome as part of his award?
No, despite winning the first Prix de Rome in 1680, he remained in France on the advice of Charles Le Brun.
Achievements
- first Prix de Rome for painting — 1680
- Notable work: Le prévôt et les échevins de la ville de Paris délibérant d'une fête en l'honneur du dîner de Louis XIV à l'hôtel de ville après sa guérison en 1689
- Notable work: Portrait of d'Anne-Jules de Noailles
- Notable work: Portrait of Everhard Jabach
- Notable work: Gio. Francesco II Brignole-Sale
- Movement: Baroque painting and Baroque
