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Commissions for Charles LeBrun's works poured in from society's elite, mostly from nobility and from the wealthy,
who could afford a masterpiece from the First Painter to
the King.
Charles
LeBrun was named
Director of Gobelins. It is estimated that
over 250 workers were employed in the tapestry workshops
alone, which gives a good indication of the magnitude of
the operations. As director, LeBrun assembled the
best artists; painters, scupltors, gilders, metal caster,
tapestry-makers, and gold- and silversmiths. ''
Everything that was manufactured in the kingdom was
based on LeBrun's sketches and drawings ''. LeBrun
decorated the King's Palaces, the Louvre, the Gallery of
Apollo, Versailles, the Tuileries, the King's carriages
and even his naval vessels.
Charles LeBrun was
also named Member of the Academy of Architecture.
He realized his dream of mastering the arts of painting,
sculpture and architecture, just as the
Michelangelo (Italian Master) had. He devised plans for numerous triumphal arches, and for
the facade and portal of the Church of Saint Nicholas of
Chardonnet. He also produced drawings for the water
parterre and number of fountains at Versailles. No
art in the seventeenth certury remained untouched by
LeBrun. |
