From Rome to Paris
Jacques Stella left Rome in July 1634. After visiting Northern Italy, he spent six months in Lyon. He declined an invitation to the Spanish court, preferring to work in Paris, where he was retained by Richelieu who set him up in the Louvre and gave him the title of Painter to the King.
Without dates, distinguishing the works painted in France from Stella's Italian paintings is no easy matter, with the exception of Adoration des anges (Adoration of the Angels), painted during his return to Lyon in 1635. The artist also continued to paint the precious works on stone and copper which had made his reputation.
At the same time, we can see a development towards more monumental compositions where antique-style architecture dominates. These paintings echo the artist's direct studies of ancient monuments in Rome, while recalling historical paintings by Jean Lemaire, the "archaeological" painter and one of the many French painters in Rome. Beyond Lemaire, we can also detect the influence of Nicolas Poussin, the artist's lifelong friend and point of reference.
|
