Millet Jean François I. (1642 - 1679)

Born in Antwerp to a French father and a Flemish mother, Millet trained under Laurens Franck (1622/23–after 1662). By the age of seventeen, he had moved to Paris with his teacher and become acquainted with French landscape painting, as well as with Flemish and Italian paintings. No travel to Italy is documented. Millet copied works by Nicolas Poussin (1594– 1665) who, along with Claude Lorrain (1600–1682) and Gaspard Dughet (1615–1675) influenced his composition. In 1673 he became a member of the Académie Royale. Although he received commissions from the royal house, the church and the wealthy bourgeoisie, he never achieved the status of a wealthy artist, since he too often neglected his craft. He died in Paris after a short illness, at the age of only 37. His classical baroque landscapes are peopled mainly with religious and mythological scenes. His son Jean François II (c 1666–1723) worked completely in his father's style, making it difficult to attribute paintings to one or the other.

Author: Ducke Astrid

Literature: Translated catalogue text from (Translation: Gail Schamberger MA, Salzburg): Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg.): Verführung. Verlockende Schönheit - tödlicher Reiz. Residenzgalerie Salzburg, 10.7.-1.11.2025, S. 148, Abb. 149