Jacques Courtois, called Borgognone (1621-1676)

• Was a Franc-comtois-Italian painter, draughtsman and etcher.
• He was mainly active in Rome and Florence.
• He became known as the leading battle painter.
• He also created history paintings and portraits.
• He became a Jesuit later in life but continued to paint.
• He was the son of the obscure painter Jean-Pierre Courtois.
• He had two younger brothers who also became painters Guglielmo Cortese and Jean-François.
• As his brother was later also known as 'il Borgognone'.
• The father took his sons to Italy around 1636.
• In 1647 Jacques Courtois married in Rome Anna Maria Vaiani, a daughter of the Florentine painter Alessandro Vaiani.
• After becoming a Jesuit he painted a number of religious compositions but later also returned to his favorite theme of warfare.
• He started signing his drawings in ink with a cross.
• In 1668 he became a priest.
• He obtained commissions for frescoes in the Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Jesuits in Rome.
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