GERARD, or

See also:

• GIRARD, JEAN BAPTISTE [known as " Le Pere Girard " or" Le Pere Gregoire "] (1765-185o)
• GIRARD, PHILIPPE HENRI DE (1775-1845)
• GIRARD, STEPHEN (1750-1831)

GIRARD,

See also:

• AUDRAN
• AUDRAN, EDMOND (1842-19o1)

AUDRAN  , the most celebrated French engraver, was the third son of Claude Audran, and was born at Lyons in 164o . He was taught the first principles of design and engraving by his father; and, following the example of his brother, went to Paris to perfect himself in his art . He there, in 1666, engraved for Le Brun " Constantine's Battle with Maxentius," his " Triumph," and the " Stoning of Stephen," which gave great satisfaction to the painter, and placed Attdran in the very first rank of engravers at Paris . Next year he set out for Rome, where he resided three years, and engraved several fine plates . That great patron of the arts, J . B . Colbert, was so struck with the beauty of Audran's works, that he persuaded Louis XIV. to recall him to Paris . On his return he applied himself assiduously to engraving, and was appointed engraver to the king, from whom he received great encouragement . In the year 1681 he was admitted to the council of the Royal Academy . He died at Paris in 1703 . His engravings of Le Brun's " Battles of Alexander " are regarded as the best of his numerous works . " He was," says the Abbe Fontenay, " the most celebrated engraver that ever existed in the historical line .

We have several subjects, which he engraved from his own designs, that manifested as much

taste as character and facility . But in the ` Battles of Alexander' he surpassed even the expectations of Le Brun himself." Gerard published in 1683 a work entitled Les Proportions du corps humain mesurees sur les plus belles figures de l'antiquite .