Louis de Silvestre (1675 – 1760)

• Was a French portrait and history painter.

• He was court painter to King Augustus II of Poland, and director of the Royal Academy of Arts in Dresden.

• Louis was taught initially by his father, then trained under Charles Le Brun and Bon Boullogne.

• He completed his studies in Rome, where he met Carlo Maratta, whose work had a great influence on him.

• The great number of works that came from his brush and the generosity of his patrons allowed him to amass a considerable fortune, and, having achieved financial security, he retired and returned to France.

• In 1752 he was appointed director of the Academy of Paris.

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