Charles LeBrun – 17th-century French Painter

The First Painter to King Louis XIV of France

Feb 21, 2009

Charles LeBrun (1619-90) formalized official artistic theory and practice that would rule the art world until the 19th century.

LeBrun was the founder of The Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture whose main function was to transmit and perpetuate the principles that nurtured the Classical (Greek and Roman) art and to improve upon them.

Understanding LeBrun’s role in the development of Western art is crucial for our appreciation of the way European art was practised for nearly three hundred years. LeBrun introduced teaching methods and principles of art practice that were followed by European artists until the 19th century when they were challenged by the ascendancy of modern art.

Rational Planning

Every stage of production of a work of art was thoroughly planned. Upon accepting a commission, LeBrun began with a meticulous scholarly research of his subject in order to ensure authenticity. Since the royalty and the clergy were the main sources of patronage in the 17th century France, the commissions involved historical, religious and mythological subject-matter. Knowledge of these areas of learning was the principal requirement an artist had to meet to be successful.

Once he had thought out a plan, he started the process of sketching his ideas. LeBrun devised a series of geometric systems for distributing the picture planes within one work. These would then be systematically filled with figures. He also devised a geometric system for lighting.

LeBrun’s works were well-organized in terms of the composition of the whole as well as its individual parts. Every single element of the composition was subject to the strict principles of geometry and proportion. Figures had to be worked out according to the precise rules of anatomy. The interplay of these elements thus formed a coherent whole with its inner logic.

Once the composition was outlined, LeBrun modified the figures’ postures and gestures and added facial expressions in order to convey feelings and emotions. Again, this stage was guided by the strict rules of the relationship between physiognomy and emotions that he himself devised. After completing the physical definition of the figures, he would add garments. Only when this detailed sketching was finalized would he start filling the framework with paint.

Legibility

LeBrun planned his compositions so meticulously with one aim: to present his audience with a story that has a clear and easily decipherable meaning. The clarity was the main criterion here, but composition did not lack in complexity: through the logical interplay of the individual elements LeBrun formed sophisticated allegorical narratives.

Every part of the picture was purposefully designed: the positioning of figures within the scene as well as their interaction defined by poses and gestures. The most important carrier of emotions was the facial expression, specifically the direction of gaze, the shape of eyes and the shape of eyebrows. It is important to realize that LeBrun’s priority was to create a system of codes within his pictorial narratives that was appropriated to his viewer’s knowledge. Artistic individuality and originality didn’t matter.

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