French Artist.  A painter of primarily portraits, genre scenes, and history painting, he was born in Tournus, Burgundy, France and was inspired at a young age to pursue a career in art.  His father agreed for him to be tutored in Lyon, France and later he went to Paris, France and studied at the Royal Academy.  He failed to make an impression with his first painting but in 1755 his “Aveugle trompé” won him acclaim with the Royal Academy.  From 1759 until 1763 he exhibited with ever-increasing success, reaching the pinnacle of his success in 1765.  In that year he was represented with no less than thirteen works, amongst which may be cited “La Jeune Fille qui pleure son oiseau mort,” “La Bonne Mère,” “Le Mauvais fils puni,” and “La Malediction paternelle.”  His other notable works include “The Guitarist” (1757), “The Laundress” (1761), “Septimius Severus and Caracalla” (1769), “The Broken Vessel” (1771),and  “The White Hat” (1780).  Among his many portraits include “”Mme Georges Gougenot de Croissy” (1757), Comte d’Angiviller” (1763), “Wolfgang Mozart” (1763-1764), “Benjamin Franklin” (1777), and “Nicolas-Pierre-Baptiste Anselme” (circa 1790).  His paintings had given him great wealth during his life but due to his extravagance and bad management, he died impoverished in Louvre, Paris, France at the age of 79. (bio by: William Bjornstad)