Philippe de Champaigne

Key facts

Lived

1602–1674, French

Movements

• Baroque
• Neoclassicism

Works held in

78 museums^[1]

• The Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee

  Louvre

  Paris, France

  39 works

  Museum details
• Les pèlerins d'Emmaüs

  Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Angers

  Logis Barrault, France

  2 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• L'assomption

  Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille

  Palais Longchamp, France

  2 works

  

  Museum detailsMap
• Anne of Austria (1601–1666)

  Cooper Gallery

  Barnsley, United Kingdom

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap
• Portrait de Pomponne II de Bellièvre

  Musée Granet

  Aix-en-Provence, France

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap
• Portrait of Jean de Thevenot

  The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

  San Marino, United States

  1 works

  Museum detailsMap

Plan your visit to see Philippe de Champaigne →

• What is Philippe de Champaigne's most famous work?+

  Philippe de Champaigne was a Flemish-born painter who became a leading portraitist at the court of Marie de Médici and Louis XIII. He is known for his portraits, especially those of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. These paintings combine French elegance with a psychological penetration of Flemish origin. One well-known painting is a full-length study of Cardinal Richelieu. A triple portrait of Richelieu is in the National Gallery, London. After personal losses, including the deaths of his wife in 1638 and his son in 1642, Champaigne's Catholic faith found expression in his art. Both his daughters entered the convent of Port-Royal. His painting *Ex Voto* (1662; Musée National du Louvre, Paris) is closely linked with his personal sentiments. It depicts two nuns, one of whom is the artist's daughter Cathérine, who had recovered from paralysis after prayer. The painting focuses on prayer rather than the miraculous healing itself.
• What should I know about Philippe de Champaigne's prints?+

  Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) was a prolific painter, and while he is not as widely known for printmaking, prints were made after his paintings. Prints related to de Champaigne's work often took the form of engravings. These engravings served to disseminate his compositions to a wider audience. One example involves the work of Pierre Louis Surugue (1716-1772), who created engravings in 1754 after paintings then thought to be by Rembrandt. Surugue's prints, such as "Philosophe en contemplation", reproduced paintings in reverse. W. Baillie also created prints after the same paintings. Prints like these provide a record of paintings and their attributions at a specific time. The paintings Surugue engraved were, at one time, believed to be companion pieces by Rembrandt. Later scholarship suggests one of the paintings was a fabrication of inferior quality. The pair were sold together in Amsterdam as "two pieces of philosophers, by the same" in 1734. Prints after paintings offer insight into the collecting and art historical analysis of the period.
• What style or movement did Philippe de Champaigne belong to?+

  Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) was a painter of Flemish origin who became a naturalised French citizen. He is generally associated with the Baroque style; however, his work moved away from some of its characteristics later in his career. Champaigne trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, who exposed him to Mannerism. The works of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck also had a considerable impact on him. In 1621, he moved to Paris and worked with Nicolas Poussin on decorating the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de’ Medici. By 1629, he was the favoured artist of both Marie de’ Medici and Cardinal Richelieu, painting portraits of them and other members of the court of King Louis XIII. As he became more involved with the Jansenist movement, Champaigne began to move away from official painting. His painting achieved a formal purity in its portrayal of ascetic figures, while retaining the grandeur of his early portraits. One example is the Ex-Voto (1662) painted for the miraculous cure of his daughter.
• What techniques or materials did Philippe de Champaigne use?+

  Philippe de Champaigne, active in France during the seventeenth century, employed techniques common to the period, including oil painting. Knowledge of such methods was often closely guarded by guilds. Manuals and "books of secrets" offered instruction on preparing pigments and supports. Seventeenth-century painters regarded oil painting as relatively new. Mixing the medium was a challenge. One common suggestion involved nut oil and lead white thickened by sunlight. Turpentine could be added to layers of lead white or grisaille to speed drying. Canvas was stretched, smoothed with pumice, sized with glue, and given a double ground. The first ground layer was coloured with raw umber and red brown, applied with a knife. The second used lead white with a small amount of carbon black to make grey. For panels, three layers of fine chalk ground were recommended, followed by another glue layer or a grey oil layer.
• What was Philippe de Champaigne known for?+

  Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) was a Brabazon-born French painter of the Baroque era. He is regarded as a significant figure in French art of the 17th century, and he is primarily associated with portraiture and religious scenes. Champaigne's style is characterised by its classicising tendencies; it is often restrained, clear, and precise, reflecting the influence of both Flemish and French artistic traditions. He became the only artist permitted to paint for the Queen Mother, and he enjoyed the patronage of King Louis XIII. Later in life, Champaigne was strongly influenced by Jansenism, a strict theological movement within the Catholic Church. This influence led to a more austere style in his later religious works. Although he produced some history paintings, he is best known for his portraits of prominent figures, including members of the French royal family and religious leaders.
• When did Philippe de Champaigne live and work?+

  Philippe de Champaigne was born in Brussels in 1602 and died in Paris in 1674. He trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, where he was exposed to Mannerism. Around 1619, he saw works by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck in Mons. These artists greatly influenced his portraiture. He then entered Jacques Fouquières's studio, a painter who sometimes collaborated with Rubens. In 1621, Champaigne moved to Paris and worked in Georges Lallemand's studio. By 1624, he began his independent career and collaborated with Nicolas Poussin on decorating the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de' Medici. He became a favourite artist of both Marie de' Medici and Cardinal Richelieu. From 1643 to 1661, he received fewer royal commissions, as Cardinal Jules Mazarin disliked his style. During this period, Champaigne primarily worked as a portraitist and fulfilled commissions for local convents. In 1648, he became a founding member of the French Academy, lecturing from 1653. His portraits of Louis XIII and Richelieu are well known.
• Where can I see Philippe de Champaigne's work?+

  Philippe de Champaigne's paintings can be viewed in several locations. The Musée du Louvre in Paris holds *The Last Supper* (1652) and *Ex Voto* (1662). The National Gallery, London, owns his *Triple Portrait of Richelieu*. The Wallace Collection, also in London, possesses *Marriage of the Virgin* (1644). Other works can be found in the Moussalli Collection, Paris. Champaigne, born in Brussels, became a naturalised French citizen and a portrait painter at the court of King Louis XIII. He decorated parts of the Palais du Luxembourg and the Sorbonne. His portraits of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu are particularly well known. Anne of Austria commissioned a series of twelve paintings from the life of St Benedict for Val-de-Grâce.
• Where was Philippe de Champaigne from?+

  Philippe de Champaigne was born in Brussels in 1602. He trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, artists who exposed him to Mannerism. In 1619, he was in Mons, where he would have seen works by Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. These artists had a considerable impact on Champaigne, particularly on his portraits. Upon his return to Brussels, Champaigne entered the workshop of Jacques Fouquières, a painter of landscapes who sometimes collaborated with Rubens. In 1621, Champaigne moved to Paris and entered the studio of Georges Lallemand. By 1624, he had begun his independent career. In Paris, he met Nicolas Poussin, and they worked together decorating the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de’ Medici. Champaigne contributed twenty-eight landscapes for the Cabinet des Muses, but these are no longer extant. Champaigne became a naturalised French citizen and worked as a portrait painter at the court of King Louis XIII. He died in Paris in 1674.
• Who did Philippe de Champaigne influence?+

  Philippe de Champaigne's artistic connections included early collaboration with Nicolas Poussin on decorations for the Palais du Luxembourg around 1624. He offered an alternative to Poussin's stoic representations, and to the classicised style of Simon Vouet. Champaigne's early training involved exposure to Mannerism from Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux. The works of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck also impacted him, especially regarding his portraits. Jacques Fouquiéres, with whom Champaigne studied, had worked with Rubens. Later in his career, Champaigne moved away from official painting, becoming involved with the Jansenist movement. His association with Port-Royal, and figures such as Blaise Pascal, influenced his style. His painting achieved a formal purity in its portrayal of ascetic figures, while retaining the grandeur of his early portraits.
• Who influenced Philippe de Champaigne?+

  Philippe de Champaigne, born in Brussels in 1602, absorbed a range of influences that shaped his artistic style. Early on, he trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, who exposed him to Mannerism. The works of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, well represented in Mons, had a significant impact on his portraits. Jacques Fouquiéres, with whom Champaigne worked upon his return to Brussels, also influenced him. Moving to Paris in 1621, Champaigne joined Georges Lallemand's studio. He met Nicolas Poussin around 1624, and they collaborated on decorating the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de’ Medici. Later, Champaigne's style combined French elegance with a Flemish psychological insight, particularly evident in his portraits of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu. As he became involved with the Jansenist movement, his art took on a more spiritual quality. This is demonstrated by his portrait of Pascal and the Ex-Voto, painted after his daughter's miraculous recovery.
• Who was Philippe de Champaigne?+

  Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674) was a painter born in Brussels. Early in his career, he trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, where he was exposed to Mannerism. He then worked in the workshop of Jacques Fouquiéres, a painter who sometimes collaborated with Peter Paul Rubens. Champaigne moved to Paris in 1621, joining Georges Lallemand's studio. Around 1624, he began working independently and collaborated with Nicolas Poussin on decorations for the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de’ Medici. By 1629, he had become a favoured artist of both Marie de’ Medici and Cardinal Richelieu. Champaigne's commissions included a series of twelve paintings about the life of St Benedict for Anne of Austria and The Marriage of the Virgin (1644). He is known for his portraits, especially those of Louis XIII and Richelieu, which combined French elegance with Flemish psychological insight. His painting Christ announces to the Apostles that one of them will soon betray him (1652) is held at the Musée du Louvre, Paris. From 1643 to 1661, he received fewer royal commissions and worked mainly as a portraitist. He was one of the founding members of the French Academy in 1648.
• Why are Philippe de Champaigne's works important today?+

  Philippe de Champaigne, born in Brussels in 1602 and deceased in Paris in 1674, was a significant painter, particularly at the French court. He trained with Jean Bouillon and Michel de Bourdeaux, absorbing Mannerist influences. Later, the works of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck impacted his style, especially his portraits. Champaigne moved to Paris in 1621. There, he collaborated with Nicolas Poussin on decorations for the Palais du Luxembourg. By 1629, he was a favoured artist of Marie de’ Medici and Cardinal Richelieu. He is known for portraits of Louis XIII and Richelieu; these combined French elegance with Flemish psychological insight. A triple portrait of Richelieu is in London's National Gallery. His later works reflected his increasing involvement with the Jansenist movement. This is evident in his portrait of Pascal and the Ex-Voto (Louvre, Paris). The Ex-Voto commemorates the cure of his daughter, a nun at Port-Royal. Champaigne's wife died in 1638, and two daughters became nuns. His youngest daughter died in 1655; the elder took her vows in 1656. These personal events shaped the spirituality expressed in his art.