An Artist Shaped by its Time
Historical events usually can help the in-born leaders to reveal their talents. However, as world practice showed, historical circumstances may also be helpful enough to shape the image of an artist. France may be a good example to prove how French revolution eventually provided a good material for its future artists. David and François-Pascal-Simon Gérard are good examples of prominent French artists who made the historical events and outstanding historical figures the basis of their future works.
The description of François -Pascal-Simon Gérard’s works one may find in many sources. Eventually, I decided to choose Encyclopaedia Britannica. In this source, François -Pascal-Simon Gérard is being described as a neoclassical painter who is best known for his portraits of celebrated European personalities, particularly the leading figures of the French First Empire and Restoration periods. Still, I do not consider this short description to be enough long to provide a clear understanding of the artist’s image. Consequently, I decided to add to my paper a detailed biography of the artist.
Biography
François Gérard was born in 1770 in Rome into the family of a French clerk/officer of the French Embassy and an Italian mother. The boy grew up in Rome. Here, at the cradle of Roman culture, the artistic taste of the future painter has been shaped. In other words, having been influenced by the Roman culture, François Gérard acquired many positive features that in the future, would shape him as one of the greatest artists. However, Italy was not the only country that shaped the image of François Gérard. In fact, the removal of François Gérard’s family to France was no less essential. Being famous for its outstanding people, France became the place where new ideas have been born. It is in France with its revolutions and social changes where the future teacher of François Gérard David has received his inspiration for the creation of his future works.
The family removal to France took place in the year 1782. Eventually, the family came to Paris, where François studied in the studio of the sculptor Augustin Pajou. When a François Gérard has reached the age of sixteen, he entered the studio of Jacques-Louis David and soon became one of his favorite pupils. In the same way like his prominent teacher the author specialized in creating portraits.
In 1790, after his father’s death, Gérard traveled to Italy. Later on he married his mother’s younger sister. Soon his mother died that eventually put him in the state when he had to take care of his younger brother. Consequently, the future artist had to earn enough both for his own living, and for protection of his younger brother. The major part of his earnings eventually came from illustrations the works of Racine and Virgil.
Tough constituting the major part of François Gérard’s works portraits has not become the only kind of art François Gérard actually did. In fact, François Gérard tried himself in painting historical scenes and even won the competition to commemorate the meeting of the National Assembly of 10 August 1792…
