LEBRUN, CIL% RLEs 1619-90 A French historical and portrait painter, architect, and decorator. lie was born in Paris. February 24, 1619. His predisposition toward art, which developed early, was diseovered by the Chancel lor seguier, who placed him in the atelier of the painter Vouet, and in 16(2 sent him to Rome. Tn Ronne be came under the influence of Nicolas Poussin. In 1642 he was :teal]] in Paris. and was called upon to decorate the lintel Lambert, and to repair the Petite Galerie du Louvre. which had been injured by lire. Tho restoration of the Petite Galerie led to the construction of the Calerie d'Apollon above it, which Lebrun was employed to decorate. This work he left un finish•d, but the numerous drawings from his designs which are in existence made it possible for Eugime Delaeroix in the nineteenth century to complete the work according to the original The extraordinary power which Lebrun exer cis•d during the reign of Louis XIV. came main ly from the part he idayed in the establishment of the Academy of Painting and Sculpture. lie was also instrumental in the of the Freud) Academy at Rome. and until his death was practically Minister of Fine Arts to the King, 'having the supervision of all his immense artis tic undertakings.
After the completion of the Hotel Lambert, Lebrun was employed by the Chancellor Fonquet to decorate the new Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte, designed by Louis Levau. In 1662 lie was ap pointed first painter to the King. and placed in charge of the decoration of the palace and park of Versailles. He designed the fountains and
statues of the park, decorated the vestibule of the palace. and in 1679 began the decoration of the great gallery with paintings of the deeds of Louis N1V. lie was made director of the new manufacture of tapestries and furniture at Les Cobelins. He decorated She Chrttean des Sceaux for Colbert and designed some of its pavilions. Next to Versailles, Lebrun's most important work was the construction and decoration of the Chilteau of Marly. which has been destroyed, but many of his desil...ms for the architecture have been preserved. _Niter the death of Colbert his forlunes declined, and in consequence of the trouble: brought upon him by the enmity of Lebrun sickened and died, on February 12, 1690.
He was an able and prolific painter. and his works show good composition and great inventive power. Although of good decorative effect. they are mannered; his drawing is superficial. and Iris coloring untrue to nature. The Louvre con tains a large number of his works, the best known of which is the series of five pictures illustrating the "History of Alexander the Croat.• lie is well represented in most of the principal European museums. (.specially in those of France.
Consult: Henri •ouin, Charles Lebrun et les arts SOUS' 1,011 ig 111'. (Paris. B90) : Merson, "Charles Lebrun." in the Gazette (hs Beaux-Arts (1894); Genevay, Le style Louis 11F., Charlus Lebrun, d('eora ur (Paris. 1885).