Charles De La Fosse
Bridged French classicism to Rococo style
Charles de La Fosse was a French painter born in Paris. He was one of the most noted and least servile pupils of Le Brun, under whose direction he shared in the chief of the great decorative works undertaken in the reign of Louis XIV. Leaving France in 1662, he spent two years in Rome and three in Venice. The influence of his prolonged studies of Veronese is evident in his Finding of Moses (Louvre), and in his Rape of Proserpine (Louvre), which he presented to the Royal Academy as his diploma picture in 1673. He was at once named assistant professor, and in 1674 the full responsibilities of the office devolved on him, but his engagements did not prevent his accepting in 1689 the invitation of Lord Montagu to decorate Montagu House situated in Bloomsbury. He visited London twice, remaining on the second occasion—together with Jacques Rousseau and Monnoyer more than two years. William III vainly strove to detain him in England by the proposal that he should decorate Hampton Court, for Le Brun was dead, and Mansart pressed La Fosse to return to Paris to take in hand the cupola of Les Invalides. The decorations of Montagu House are destroyed, those of Versailles are restored, and the dome of the Invalides (engraved, Picart and Cochin) is now the only work existing which gives a full measure of his talent. During his latter years La Fosse executed many other important decorations in public buildings and private houses, notably in that of Crozat, under whose roof he died on 13 December 1716. The artis't works and conception played a key role in the French art history from shifting the classicism of the French style from the court of Louis XIV towards the lighter and more playful Rococo period's style. La Fosse's style prior to his emergence from the shadow of Le Brun remains a mystery, with very few sheets by him dating earlier than 1680.
Relationship Network
Master student
- Le Brun Master
- Charles Parrocel Student
- Jean Jouvenet Student
- Luis Paret y Alcázar Student
Fellow student
Artworks by this artist (20 total)
- The Vision of St. John of the Cross
- St. John the Evangelist c. 1700-1702
- Le Père Eternel 1675-1677
- Christ presenting the keys to Saint Peter
- Studies for a Ceiling Decoration 1680
- Christ At The Home Of Martha And Mary
- Le Père Eternel 1675-1677
- Head of a Young Girl and Studies of Hands and of her Right Foot
- Studies for a Ceiling Decoration 1680
- Sacrifice of Iphigenia ca. 1678
- God The Father And The Evangelist Symbols (Or The Vision Of Ezechiel)@Religion
- Gentleman Seated in an Armchair late 17th century-early 18th century
- Two Young Women Seated on the Ground (recto) c. 1698
- Étude d’Ange
- La Sainte Famille pendant la fuite en Egypte servie par les anges
- Young Woman Kneeling and Reaching Forward (verso) c. 1698
- Saint Cecilia 1700
- Study of a female figur
- Allégorie royale
- Noli Me Tangere