Charles Le Brun

Baptised in February 1619, Le Brun rose through the ranks of French painting under the influence of Nicolas Poussin. His skill earned him the role of court painter to Louis XIV, a position that carried uncommon power: Le Brun became director of several art schools and shaped the visual language of an entire era. The king's declaration — "the greatest French artist of all time" — was less hyperbole than policy. He died in February 1690, having spent decades as the dominant figure in 17th-century French art, a physiognomist and theorist whose reach extended far beyond the canvas.