SIMON

See also:

• SIMON VOUET (1590-1649)

VOUET (1590-1649)  , French painter, was born at Paris on the 9th of January 1590 . He passed many years in Italy, where he married, and established himself 'at Rome, enjoying there a high reputation as a portrait painter . Louis XIII. recalled him to France and lodged him in the Louvre with the title of First Painter to the Crown . All royal work for the palaces of the Louvre and the Luxembourg was placed in his hands; the king became his pupil; he formed a large school, and renewed the traditions of that of Fcntainebleau . Among his scholars was the famous Le Brun . Vouet was an exceedingly skilful painter, especially in decoration, and executed important works of this class for Cardinal Richelieu (Rueil and I'alais Royal) and other great nobles . His better easel pictures bear a curious resemblance to those of Sassoferrato . Almost everything he did was engraved by his sons-in-law Tortebat and Dorigny .