France
Biography
A candle glows through the translucent hand of Jesus as a child, flooding his face and Joseph’s brow with light - only Georges de la Tour holds the key to such chiaroscuro scenes... And yet, his work has been forgotten for over two centuries!
The Lorraine painter, born in 1593, seldom signed his paintings and, after his death in 1652, they were attributed to other artists. It was only in the 20th century that Hermann Voss rediscovered Georges de la Tour’s artwork and restored his rightful place in art history. Today, his paintings are displayed in the world’s greatest museums: the Louvre in Paris, the Met in New York, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Georges de la Tour is often compared to Caravaggio, in particular because of the religious scenes which he decided to depict, but also because he revealed the inner workings of his subjects in Caravaggio's style, but with less violence and fewer dramatic effects. His canvases would later go on to portray more day-to-day scenes. By focusing on one or two subjects, illuminated by candlelight, there is an intimate, serene atmosphere - time stands still, and movement is paralysed by tranquillity.
His interplay of light and shade is worthy of Caravaggio. Bathing in warm candlelight, only the outlines of his subjects’ shapes can be perceived. We see these characters close-up, against a plain and often dark background.
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The Lorraine painter, born in 1593, seldom signed his paintings and, after his death in 1652, they were attributed to other artists. It was only in the 20th century that Hermann Voss rediscovered Georges de la Tour’s artwork and restored his rightful place in art history. Today, his paintings are displayed in the world’s greatest museums: the Louvre in Paris, the Met in New York, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Georges de la Tour is often compared to Caravaggio, in particular because of the religious scenes which he decided to depict, but also because he revealed the inner workings of his subjects in Caravaggio's style, but with less violence and fewer dramatic effects. His canvases would later go on to portray more day-to-day scenes. By focusing on one or two subjects, illuminated by candlelight, there is an intimate, serene atmosphere - time stands still, and movement is paralysed by tranquillity.
His interplay of light and shade is worthy of Caravaggio. Bathing in warm candlelight, only the outlines of his subjects’ shapes can be perceived. We see these characters close-up, against a plain and often dark background.
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