LARGILLIERE, NICOLAS French painter, was born at Paris on Oct. 20, 1656. His father, a merchant, took him to Antwerp at the age of three. He was the pupil of Goubeau in Antwerp and at the age of 18 went to England, where he was befriended by Lely, who employed him for four years at Windsor. His skill attracted the notice of Charles II., who wished to retain him in his service, but the fury aroused against Roman Catholics by the Rye House plot alarmed Largilliere, and he went to Paris, where he was well received by Le Brun and Van der Meulen. In spite of his Flemish training, his reputation as a por trait-painter was soon established ; his brilliant colour and lively touch attracted the celebrities of the day—actresses, public men and popular preachers flocking to his studio. Huet, bishop of Avranches, Cardinal de Noailles, the Duclos and President Lam bert, with his wife and daughter, are amongst his most noted subjects. In 1686 he was received by the Academy as a member,
and presented as his diploma picture the fine portrait of Le Brun, now in the Louvre. He was received as an historical painter; but, although he occasionally produced works of that class ("Cruci fixion," engraved by Roettiers), and also treated subjects of still life, it was in portraits that he excelled. Several of his works are at Versailles. The church of St. Etienne du Mont at Paris con tains the finest example of Largilliere's work when dealing with large groups of figures; it is an ex voto offered by the city to St. Genevieve, painted in 1694, and containing portraits of all the leading officers of the municipality. Largilliere passed through every post of honour in the Academy, until in 1743 he was made chancellor. He died on March 20, 1746.