Jean-baptiste Pillement (1728, Lyon - Id., 1808) - Fishermen Near A Waterfall (1780)

Jean-Baptiste PILLEMENT (1728, Lyon - id., 1808) - Fishermen near a waterfall (1780) It is possible that, although born in Lyon, Jean Baptiste Nicolas Pillement belonged to the Pillement family of Rouen. Few French painters of this period traveled as much as he did. He first came to Paris to finish his studies, then worked at the Gobelins factory for a few years. He visited Poland and stayed there for a time as court painter to King Stanislaus Augustus. In particular, he decorated a room in the king's palace in the Chinese style and a large number of landscapes, mainly in gouache. He went to Vienna where he worked, among others, for Prince Lichtenstein who bought 10 of his works. One of his landscapes, Return to the village, was engraved by Godfrey in Vienna. Pillement was probably in Vienna in 1767, since the birth of his son Victor is recorded there that year, but he seems to have lived around 1755 in England, where his talents were apparently much admired. He exhibited his works at the Society of Artists and the Free Society between 1760 and 1780. In 1779, in London, he caused a sensation by announcing that due to his state of health he was obliged to return to Avignon. Pillement also visited Portugal several times, his last visit to Lisbon dating from 1780. It is possible that he went there from London. In the meantime, he has not forgotten Paris. He exhibited at the Salon of 1776. The Almanac des Artistes of 1777 indicates that he was domiciled in London or Paris at Basan. He was also represented at the Salon de la Correspondance in 1782 by two gouaches of landscapes with figures, animals and waterfalls and, in 1783, by two gouaches of Animals. Pillement had acquired the title not only of painter to the King of Poland but also of painter to Queen Marie-Antoinette. He retired to Lyon where he died in poverty. In 1767, Leviez, who had collected all the plates engraved after Pillement's work, published them under the title: Works of Jean Pillement, famous painter and decorator, consisting of 200 pieces, some of which were engraved by the artist himself, the others by Canot, Ravenet, Masson, Wallet and other skillful engravers.