Francois Gerard (born 4th Mау 1770) was a French painter born in Rome. He was born to J. S. Gérard, who occupied a post in the house of the French ambassador, and Cleria Matteï who was an Italian. Gerard was a neoclassical painter best known for his portraits of the leading figures of the French First Empire and Restoration periods and of celebrated European personalities. Gérard first studied under Augustin Pajou, a sculptor, and later with Jacques-Louis David, a painter. David lobbied for his appointment as a member of the French Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793, although he took no part in its fatal decisions. Gerard established a style that became widely imitated at the turn of the 18th century. His paintings were closely related to David’s in its cool classicism, intellectualism, sculptural definition of form and highly finished surfaces. His works are generally considered to be more elegant than David’s, especially his portraits.
Known for his skill with the brush as well as for the charm of his conversation and manner, he was always able to ingratiate himself with the political faction in power. Gerard was favored by the revolutionaries and was also acclaimed by Napoleon I and executed portraits like “Josephine Bonaparte,” and historical pieces like “Battle of Austerlitz.” After Napoleon’s fall Gerard was engaged by Louis XVIII to be a court painter. He was also made a baron by Louis XVIII in 1819. Later, Gerard was patronized by Charles X, and in 1830 got to paint the contrived ceiling murals for the Pantheon in Paris.
