Charles Audran
Encyclopedia
Charles Audran was the first of the Audran
family who became eminent in the art of engraving
. He was born in Paris in 1594. In his boyhood he showed a great disposition for the art ; he received some instruction in drawing, and when still young went to Rome to perfect himself: there he produced some plates that were admired. He adopted that species of engraving that is entirely performed with the graver
, and appears to have formed his style by an imitation of the works of Cornelis Bloemaert
. On his return to France he lived for some time in Lyons
, but finally settled in Paris, where he died in 1674, aged 80. He marked his prints, which are very numerous, in the early part of his life with a C-, until his brother Claude
, who also engraved a few plates, marked them with the same letter; he then changed it for K., as the initial of Karl. The following are his principal prints :
In Dr. Meyer's ' Künstler-Lexikon' is a list of 223 of his works.
Audran
The Audrans were a family of French artists, natives of Paris and Lyons.*Charles Audran I *Claude Audran I *Germain Audran , son of Charles I*Claude Audran II , nephew of Charles I...
family who became eminent in the art of engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
. He was born in Paris in 1594. In his boyhood he showed a great disposition for the art ; he received some instruction in drawing, and when still young went to Rome to perfect himself: there he produced some plates that were admired. He adopted that species of engraving that is entirely performed with the graver
Burin
Burin from the French burin meaning "cold chisel" has two specialised meanings for types of tools in English, one meaning a steel cutting tool which is the essential tool of engraving, and the other, in archaeology, meaning a special type of lithic flake with a chisel-like edge which was probably...
, and appears to have formed his style by an imitation of the works of Cornelis Bloemaert
Cornelis Bloemaert
Cornelis Bloemaert II , was a Dutch Golden Age painter and engraver.-Biography:Bloemaert was born at Utrecht. He studied with his father, Abraham Bloemaert, his brothers Hendrick and Adriaan, and his father's pupil, Gerard van Honthorst...
. On his return to France he lived for some time in Lyons
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, but finally settled in Paris, where he died in 1674, aged 80. He marked his prints, which are very numerous, in the early part of his life with a C-, until his brother Claude
Claude Audran the Elder
Claude Audran the Elder, the brother of Charles, was born in Paris in 1597. After receiving some instruction from Charles, he removed to Lyons, where he died in 1677. Whether he visited Rome or not is uncertain. His engravings, which are signed either Claude Audran, or CI. Audran, are...
, who also engraved a few plates, marked them with the same letter; he then changed it for K., as the initial of Karl. The following are his principal prints :
Portraits
- Henri of Condé, with the Four Cardinal Virtues; K. Audran, sc.; oval.
- Andre Laurent, physician to Henry IVHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
; oval. - Pierre SéguierPierre Séguier-Early years:Born in Paris, France of a prominent legal family originating in Quercy. His grandfather, Pierre Séguier , was président à mortier in the parlement of Paris from 1554 to 1576, and the chancellor's father, Jean Séguier, a seigneur d'Autry, was civil lieutenant of Paris at the time of...
; oval, with ornaments; after ChauveauFrançois ChauveauFrançois Chauveau was a French painter and engraver.-Life:The second son of the impoverished noble Lubin Chauveau and of Marguerite de Fleurs, he studied in the studio of Laurent de La Hyre and specialised in etching...
. - An allegorical subject, of two Portraits, with a Genius painting a third Portrait; inscribed on the pallet, unus ex duobus; signed C. Audran, fecit.
Subjects after different masters
- The title for the Gallery of the Great Women, representing Anne of Austria and nineteen other eminent women, with a subject from their life in the background; after Pietro da CortonaPietro da CortonaPietro da Cortona, by the name of Pietro Berrettini, born Pietro Berrettini da Cortona, was the leading Italian Baroque painter of his time and also one of the key architects in the emergence of Roman Baroque architecture. He was also an important decorator...
. - The Annunciation; inscribed Spiritus Sanctus, fe.; after Lodovico CarracciLudovico CarracciLudovico Carracci was an Italian, early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna....
, incorrectly attributed on the plate to AnnibaleAnnibale CarracciAnnibale Carracci was an Italian Baroque painter.-Early career:Annibale Carracci was born in Bologna, and in all likelihood first apprenticed within his family...
; very fine; it is the picture in the Cathedral at BolognaSan Petronio BasilicaThe Basilica of San Petronio is the main church of Bologna, Emilia Romagna, northern Italy. It dominates the Piazza Maggiore. It is the fifth largest church in the world, stretching for 132 meters in length and 60 meters in width, while the vault reaches 45 meters inside and 51 meters in the facade...
. - The Baptism of Christ; small oval ; after Ann. Carracci; no name.
- St. Francis de Paula; after Mellin; marked Carl. Audran, so.
- The Stoning of Stephen; after Palma 'the younger'Palma GiovaneIacopo Nigreti , best known as Jacopo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane was an Italian Mannerist painter from Venice. After Tintoretto's death , Palma became Venice's dominant artist perpetuating his style...
. - The Conception of the Virgin Mary; after StellaJacques Stella-Life:Stella was born in Lyon. His father was François Stella, a painter and merchant of Flemish origin, but he died too soon to train Jacques in painting. Jacques's siblings included François , Françoise and Madeleine...
. - The Nativity; after the same.
- The Holy Family, with St. Catharine and Angels; after the same; fine.
- The Virgin and Infant Jesus, St. John presenting an Apple, and St. Catharine kneeling; after TitianTitianTiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
; very fine. - The Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus treading on the Serpent; after G. L. ValesioGiovanni ValesioGiovanni Luigi Valesio was an Italian painter and, most prominently, an engraver of the early-Baroque, active in his native city of Bologna, and then in Rome....
. - A Thesis, representing Religion as the true Knowledge; inscribed Non judiciamus, &c; after C. VignonClaude VignonClaude Vignon was a leading French painter and engraver working in the Baroque manner.He was born at Tours and received early training in Paris...
. - St. Francis de Paula in ecstasy before the Sacrament; after S. VouetSimon VouetSimon Vouet was a French painter and draftsman, who today is perhaps best remembered for helping to introduce the Italian Baroque style of painting to France.-Life:...
. - Frontispiece for a Book, Fame holding the Portrait of Cardinal Mazarin; after the same.
- The Assumption of the Virgin; after Domenichino; very fine.
In Dr. Meyer's ' Künstler-Lexikon' is a list of 223 of his works.