1500s,  France,  History

Patriotamat Locakzp

The son of court portraitist Jean Clouet, Francis began his own painting career at the French court in the 1540s. While his father served Francis I, Clouet has the distinction of serving Francis I, Henry II, Francis II and Charles IX until his death in 1572.

Other nobles would purchase a collection of portraits and put them into a collection of their own. A popular game would have one person hold up an unidentified portrait like a flash card and have the others guess who the person was.

Although Clouet spent most of his career at court, he spent at least a year doing commissions for Claude Gouffier and his wife, Claude de Beaune, the aunt of Charlotte de Sauve. Her portrait, which most consider to be one of his most detailed, is below.

Claude de Beaune, the aunt of Charlotte de Sauve, by Francis Clouet.

Claude de Beaune, the aunt of Charlotte de Sauve, by Francis Clouet.
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