a French artist, known primarily for portraiture. He declined to follow his father's precedent in becoming a notary, and instead began study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Rouen. Having moved to Paris by 1772, he studied under Jean-Jacques Lagrenée (1737–1821) and Maurice-Quentin de la Tour (1704–1788). He was attracted to Parisian theater and music, and early in his career often portrayed actors, singers, and musicians, using pastels and chalk. He also worked in oil, watercolor, and porcelain. In the late 1770s or early 1780s, he may have sketched for fashion plates.
