a French painter born at Montpellier. He was the last holder of the post of Premier peintre du Roi, serving from 1789 to 1791. When in 1776, at the height of his established reputation, he became director of the school of France at Rome, he refused to take Jacques-Louis David with him amongst his pupils, stating he was too old to teach a young artist. After his return, five years later, his fortunes were wrecked by the French Revolution; but he undauntedly set to work, and at the age of eighty (1796) carried off the prize in an open government competition. Napoleon Bonaparte acknowledged his merit by making him a senator.
