Nicolas Tournier

Background

Nicolas Tournier was born on July 12, 1590, in Montbéliard, Franche-Comte, France. His father was André Tournier, "a Protestant painter from Besançon."

Education

According to one early source, Nicolas Tournier was a pupil of Valentin de Boulogne.

Career

Unfortunately, little is known of Nicolas' life before his arrival in Rome, where he worked between 1619 and 1626, and where he was influenced by the work of Caravaggio. Tournier's Roman paintings were stylistically close to the works of Bartolomeo Manfredi. He painted both secular and religious subjects; an example of the latter was "The Crucifixion with St. Vincent de Paul." After 1626 Tournier was active in southern France.

Nicolas Tournier belonged to the French Caravaggesque movement. Nicolas Tournier had two great periods, one in Rome and the second in Toulouse where he arrived in 1632. He painted "Christ on the cross" for the church of the Minimes and "Christ descended from the cross" for the Saint-Etienne cathedral. He died in 1639 in Toulouse.

Achievements

• Nicolas Tournier was highly famous for his paintings "Drinking Party with a Lute Player", "St. Paul", "Christ Carrying the Cross", and "The Descent from the Cross." He became one of the most singular French Caravagges of his time and ensured the spread of Caravagism in Languedoc.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Soldier

  • Lute Player

  • The Guard Room

  • St. Paul

  • Christ Carrying the Cross

  • Christ on the Cross with the Virgin, Mary Magdalene, St. John and St. Francis of Paola

  • Montbéliard

  • The Concert

  • Company at the table

  • Drinking Party with a Lute Player

  • The Denial of St. Peter

  • The Descent from the Cross

Views

Nicolas Tournier adhered to the artistic traditions of Baroque.

Interests

• Artists

  Caravaggio

Connections

Father:

André Tournier

tutor:

Valentin de Boulogne

colleague:

Georges de la Tour

colleague:

Bartolomeo Manfredi

References

• Nicolas Tournier, 1590-1639, un peintre caravagesque (French Edition)
  2001
• Nicolas Tournier Et La Peinture Caravagesque En Italie, En France Et En Espagne: Actes Du Colloque International, Toulouse, 7-9 Juin 2001 (Meridiennes)
  2003