Nicolas Lancret

Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743), French painter, born in Paris. He studied art principally with Claude Gillot, the teacher of the French painter Jean-Antoine Watteau. Lancret, who admired and imitated Watteau's style, was noted for his depiction of the frivolous life of the French court under the regency (1715-1723) of Philippe II, duc d'Orléans. His paintings are characterized by elegantly clothed figures, delicate landscapes, and an atmosphere of ease and gaiety. He painted nearly 800 pictures. Among them are The Four Ages of Man (Tate Gallery, London) and The Music Lesson and The Four Seasons (both Louvre, Paris). Among his many portraits of theatrical performers, Lancret's four paintings of the famous dancer Marie Camargo are the best known; the version in the Wallace Collection, London, is outstanding.