Isaac Moillon (1614-1673)
Isaac Moillon belonged to a large family of Protestant painters in Paris – they worked in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
A family vocation
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Le Christ guérissant les aveugles, d'Isaac Moillon (Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune) © Wikipedia Commons
Isaac was born in Paris in 1614, the son of the Protestant painter Nicolas Moillon. He and his sister Louise lost their father when Isaac was five – later, their mother married the still life painter François Garnier and the children were brought up amongst the painters of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Between 1638 and 1640, he was one of the decorators of the Hôtel Bautru, built by Le Vau – unfortunately it is no longer in existence. It was situated in the street which is now known as Rue Neuve des Petits-Champs. In the gallery and entrance hall he painted Scenes from military life.
He was one of the artists appointed by the well known craftsman, Simon Vouet, to draw designs – landscapes, animals and ornaments – for tapestries which he was to weave. In 1653, Isaac was one of the artists decorating the châteaux around Aubusson.
He was also will known for his work in the Hôtel-Dieu in Beaune, where he painted The Miracles of Christ and also an altarpiece depicting Saint Hugues bringing a drowned child back to life (in situ). In the church of Auxey-Duresses, near Beaune, his Christ in a Shroud can still be seen today.
In 1663, he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture.
He died on 26th May 1673 and was buried in the Protestant churchyard of Saints-Pères on 29th May – his brother-in-law Etienne Girardot was present at the funeral.
Bibliography
- Books
- FARE Michel, La Nature morte en France, Genève, 1962
- FELIBIEN André, Entretiens sur les vies et les ouvrages des plus excellents peintres anciens et modernes, Paris, 1666-1668
- MONTAIGLON Anatole de, PV de l’Académie Royale de peinture et de sculpture (1648-1792), publiés pour la Société de l'Histoire de l'Art Français d'après les registres originaux conservés à l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts
- Articles
- LA MORINERIE, baron de, "Isaac Moillon", Archives de l'Art français, 1858-1860
- LAVEISSIERE Sylvain, "Le Christ au linceul d’Isaac Moillon à l’église d’Auxey-Duresses", Bulletin de la Société de l'histoire de l'art français, SHAF, Paris, 1973, p. 133-134
- WILHEM Jacques, "Un peintre oublié : Isaac Moillon, de l’Académie royale. Ses oeuvres à l’Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune", Bulletin de la Société de l'histoire de l'art français, SHAF, Paris, 1972, p. 113-132
Associated notes
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Samuel Bernard (1615-1687)
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Louis Testelin (1615-1655)
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Gédéon Tallemant des Réaux (1619-1692)
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Louise Moillon (1610-1696)
Louise Moillon was from a Protestant family and became one of the most well known still life painters of her time. Sadly, her old age was darkened by the Revocation... -
The "Gobelins"
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