Joseph Marie Vien (1716-1809)

• Was a French painter.
• He was the last holder of the post of Premier peintre du Roi, serving from 1789 to 1791.
• He was born in Montpellier.
• Protected by Comte de Caylus.
• He entered at an early age the studio of Natoire, and obtained the grand prix in 1745.
• He used his time at Rome in applying to the study of nature and the development of his own powers all that he gleaned from the masterpieces around him.
• On his return to Paris he owed his admission to the academy for his picture Daedalus and Icarus solely to the indignant protests of François Boucher.
• When in 1776, at the height of his established reputation, he became director of the school of France at Rome, he refused to take Jacques-Louis David with him amongst his pupils, stating he was too old to teach a young artist.
• Joseph-Marie Vien died in Paris.
• He was buried in the crypt of the Panthéon.
• He left behind him many pupils, amongst whom were François-André Vincent, Jean-Antoine-Théodore Giroust, Jean-Baptiste Regnault, Joseph-Benoît Suvée, Jean-Pierre Saint-Ours, François-Guillaume Ménageot, Jean-Joseph Taillasson.
• Next