Nicolas Mignard (1606–1668)

• Was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits.
• Nicolas Mignard was born in Troyes in 1606 as the son of Pierre and Marie Gallois.
• He came from a family of artisans.
• He was the older brother of Pierre Mignard. 

• Nicolas Mignard studied painting with a local master of Troyes whose identity is unknown.

• He travelled subsequently to Fontainebleau where he copied the works of the Mannerist painters.

• He likely also spent time in Paris where he is believed to have studied with Simon Vouet.

• Mignard then spent some time in Lyon before moving to Avignon around 1633. 

• He then traveled to Rome in the retinue of Alphonse-Louis du Plessis, the Cardinal Archbishop of Lyon and brother of Cardinal Richelieu.

• Mignard came back to Avignon in 1636, after having executed several series of etchings in Rome, principally after the works of Annibale Carracci.

• When King Louis XIV and his Court visited Avignon, Mignard was commissioned to paint portraits of various courtiers including Cardinal Mazarin.

• Mazarin ordered Mignard by lettre de cachet to come to Paris in 1660.

• Mignard joined the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in 1663 without having to submit an admission piece.

• He became Professor and Assistant Rector of the Académie in 1664 and Rector in 1666. 

• He was a supporter of Charles Le Brun in his conflict with his own brother Pierre. 

• He and later his son Paul would be on poor terms with Pierre over this conflict of Pierre with Le Brun.

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