Jean Petitot

Jean Petitot (July 12, 1607 – April 3, 1691) was a Swiss^[1] enamel painter, who spent most of his career working for the courts of France and England.

Life

He was born at

Turquet de Mayerne, physician to Charles I, who presented them to the king, for whom they made a St George for the badge of the order and carried out many commissions for portraits; amongst others preparing two large ones representing Rachel de Ruvigny

, countess of Southampton, now at Chatsworth, and Mary Villiers, duchess of Richmond and Lennox, dated 1643, at one time in the possession of the Crown and now in the Pierpont Morgan collection.

On the execution of the king, Petitot left England for Paris with the royal household, Bordier remaining in England and carrying out certain important commissions for Cromwell and the parliament. On reaching Paris, Petitot entered into partnership with a goldsmith, Jacques Bordier, a cousin of Pierre, and it seems probable from recent research in contemporary documents that the enamel portraits attributed to Petitot were really the work of the two partners collaborating, the actual drawing being the work of Petitot, while for the enamel process Bordier was mainly responsible. The two painters were given apartments in the

Louis XIV

, and painted portraits of almost every person of importance in his brilliant court. The friendship between the two lasted for thirty-five years, and was only put an end to by Bordier's death. The enamellers rendered special political services in France for the republic of Geneva, and were practically regarded as the official representatives of the republic, receiving warm thanks from the Syndics for their diplomatic work.

On the revocation of the

John Sobieski, king of Poland, who required portraits of himself and his queen. This was followed by numberless other commissions which the painter carried out. He died of paralysis on April 3, 1691 at Vevey

, while in the very act of painting on the enamel a portrait of his faithful wife.

Works

Of the works of Petitot the major collection is in the Jones Bequest at the

Pierpont Morgan's collection there were many fine examples, including three drawings on paper, the only three which appear to have survived, and the large signed miniature of the duchess of Richmond already mentioned, the largest work Petitot ever did except one Chatsworth House

.

Family

Petitot married in 1651 Marguerite Cuper, and Jacques Bordier married in the same year her younger sister Anne Madeleine. He had seventeen children, among them Jean Louis Petitot, and for their benefit wrote out a little octavo volume containing some genealogical information, portraits of himself and his wife, with prayers, meditations and religious advice. He also prepared a second manuscript volume of prayers and meditations for the use of his family, and from these two books and the records of the Huguenot societies of France and England information has been obtained respecting the painter and his family.

References

^ According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland and to his biography, Jean Petitot was a citizen of the Republic of Geneva and served (1669-1684) as charge d’affaires of his government in Paris. In sources from outside of Switzerland his country of origin is sometimes (for instance in ULAN ) referred to as being Switzerland.
^ Faule Petitot, in the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Petitot, Jean". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

[1] According to the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland and to his biography, Jean Petitot was a citizen of the Republic of Geneva and served (1669-1684) as charge d’affaires of his government in Paris. In sources from outside of Switzerland his country of origin is sometimes (for instance in ULAN ) referred to as being Switzerland.

[2] Faule Petitot, in the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland

[1]

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