Joseph Ducreux was born in Nancy on June 26, 1735 and moved to Paris in 1760, where he met the painters Jean Baptiste Greuze (1725 - 1805) and Maurice Quentin de La Tour (1704 - 1788). Greuze in particular influenced Ducreux's further work. Following his two models, Ducreux turned to portrait painting and initially copied portraits of important personalities such as the architect Jacques-François Blondel (1705 - 1774), the art critic Pierre-Jean Mariette (1694 - 1774), the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) and the painter Jean Siméon Chardin (1699 - 1779).
Nine years after moving to Paris, Ducreux was sent to Vienna to paint the official portrait of the then fourteen-year-old Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (1755 -1793), later Queen Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI (1754 - 1793). He painted members of the Viennese court such as Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (1717 - 1780), Archduke Joseph II of Austria (1741 - 1790), Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (1746 - 1804), Archduchess Maria Christina Johanna Josepha Antonia of Austria (1742 - 1798) and Archduchess Maria Elisabeth Josepha of Austria (1743-1808). When Ducreux returned home to France, he was appointed premier peintre ("first painter") by Marie Antoinette. Ducreux's works were henceforth on display at the Salon de la Correspondence. Ducreux spent the French Revolution in exile in London, where his works were exhibited without much success at the Royal Academy of Arts.
In 1793, Ducreux returned to Paris once again and moved into an apartment in the Louvre, which was made available to him free of charge. He was also encouraged by his friend Jacques-Louis David (1748 - 1825). It was at this time that Ducreux created what is probably his most famous painting: Portrait de l'artiste sous les traits d'un moqueur. The self-portrait shows Ducreux smiling mockingly, facing the viewer and pointing his finger over his left shoulder. Today, the portrait is part of Internet culture and a popular meme. However, Ducreux also painted paintings of revolutionaries Maximilien de Robespierre (1758 - 1794) and Louis-Antoine-Léon de Saint-Just de Richebourg (1767 - 1794).
Joseph Ducreux was born in Nancy on June 26, 1735 and moved to Paris in 1760, where he met the painters Jean Baptiste Greuze (1725 - 1805) and Maurice Quentin de La Tour (1704 - 1788). Greuze in particular influenced Ducreux's further work. Following his two models, Ducreux turned to portrait painting and initially copied portraits of important personalities such as the architect Jacques-François Blondel (1705 - 1774), the art critic Pierre-Jean Mariette (1694 - 1774), the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) and the painter Jean Siméon Chardin (1699 - 1779).
Nine years after moving to Paris, Ducreux was sent to Vienna to paint the official portrait of the then fourteen-year-old Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (1755 -1793), later Queen Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI (1754 - 1793). He painted members of the Viennese court such as Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria (1717 - 1780), Archduke Joseph II of Austria (1741 - 1790), Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (1746 - 1804), Archduchess Maria Christina Johanna Josepha Antonia of Austria (1742 - 1798) and Archduchess Maria Elisabeth Josepha of Austria (1743-1808). When Ducreux returned home to France, he was appointed premier peintre ("first painter") by Marie Antoinette. Ducreux's works were henceforth on display at the Salon de la Correspondence. Ducreux spent the French Revolution in exile in London, where his works were exhibited without much success at the Royal Academy of Arts.
In 1793, Ducreux returned to Paris once again and moved into an apartment in the Louvre, which was made available to him free of charge. He was also encouraged by his friend Jacques-Louis David (1748 - 1825). It was at this time that Ducreux created what is probably his most famous painting: Portrait de l'artiste sous les traits d'un moqueur. The self-portrait shows Ducreux smiling mockingly, facing the viewer and pointing his finger over his left shoulder. Today, the portrait is part of Internet culture and a popular meme. However, Ducreux also painted paintings of revolutionaries Maximilien de Robespierre (1758 - 1794) and Louis-Antoine-Léon de Saint-Just de Richebourg (1767 - 1794).
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