Although he has been somewhat forgotten over the last two centuries, Charles de La Fosse (1636-1716) was the great introducer of new ideas during the reign of Louis XIV, with whom he was the exact contemporary. His work bears witness to the evolution of artistic creation, from Charles Le Brun, whose student he was, to Antoine Watteau, a close friend. Considered one of the best painters of his time, Charles de La Fosse took part in all the royal worksites at the Tuileries, the Palace of Versailles and the Invalides, while dedicating a large part of his activity to private commissions. His work is also remarkable for his many drawings, notably those using the “trois crayons” technique (red, black and white).

Authors : Béatrice SARRAZIN, Adeline COLLANGE-PERUGI et Clémentine GUSTIN-GOMEZ

Coedition: Somogy – château de Versailles
Publication: February 2015
Number of pages: 240
ISBN : 978-2-7572-0915-8

French only