JEAN GERMAIN

See also:

• JEAN GERMAIN DROUAIS (1763-1788)

DROUAIS (1763-1788)  , French historical painter, was born at Paris on the 25th of November 1763 . His father, Francois Hubert Drouais; and his grandfather, Hubert Drouais, were well-known portrait painters; and it was from his father that he received his first artistic instruction . He was after-wards entrusted to the care of Brenet, an excellent teacher, though his own pictures did not take high rank . In 178o David, who had just returned from Rome, opened a school of painting in Paris, and Drouais was one of his earliest and most promising pupils . He adopted the classical style of his master, and gave his whole time to study—painting during the day, and spending a great part of every night in designing . For weeks together it is said that he never left his studio . In 1783 he was admitted to compete for the great prize of painting offered by the Academy, the subject being the " Widow of Nain." After inspecting the works of his fellow-competitors, however, he lost hope and destroyed his own canvas, but was consoled by the assurance of his master David that had he not done so he would have won the prize . Next year he was triumphantly successful, the " Woman of Canaan at the Feet of Christ," with which he gained the prize, being compared by competent critics with the works of Poussin . He was carried shoulder high by his fellow-students through the streets to his mother's house, and a place was afterwards found for his picture in the Louvre . His success making him only the more eager to perfect himself in his art, he accompanied David to Rome, where he worked even more assiduously than in Paris . He was most strongly influenced by the remains of ancient art and by the works of Raphael . Goethe, who was at Rome at the time it was finished, has recorded the deep impression made by his " Marius at Minturno," which he characterizes as in some respects superior to the work of David, his master .

The last picture which he completed was his Philoctetus on the

Island of Lemnos." He died on the 15th of July' 1788 . A monument to his memory was erected by his fellow-students in the church of Santa Maria in the Via Lata .