Baron François Gérard

Nationality: French

1770 - 1837

Born and raised in Rome by a French father and Italian mother, Gérard returned to Paris with his family around 1782 and entered the studio of Jacques-Louis David. His prestige as a portrait painter brought him in contact with many of the most celebrated and influential figures of the day, while his political skills helped earn him titles from both Emperor Napoleon and Louis XVIII. The weekly salons he held periodically throughout his life earned him both respect and notoriety among romantic authors, poets, and artists in Paris, including Eugène Delacroix.

Place of Birth: Rome
Place of Death: Paris

Text written and researched by Michelle Bird National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.