Jean Denis Attiret
Jean Denis Attiret (Chinese: 王致誠; pinyin: Wáng Zhì Chéng, 31 July 1702 – 8 December 1768) was a French Jesuit painter and missionary to Qing China.[1][2]
Early life
Attiret was born in Dole, France. He studied art in Rome and made himself a name as a painter.[3] While a Jesuit novice, he did paintings in the Cathedral of Avignon and the Sodality Chapel.
He went to China in 1737 and was given the title Painter to the Emperor by the Qianlong Emperor. Because the emperor insisted on the use of Chinese painting methods and styles, Attiret's painting eventually became entirely Chinese in style. Most of his works were paintings of natural subjects such as trees, fruit, fish and other animals done on glass or silk. However, many of them also include portraits of members of the imperial family and court; altogether he is credited with at least 200 portraits.
Works
After successful military campaigns in Central Asia, the Qianlong Emperor commissioned depictions of the battles. The work was carried out by four Jesuit artists, among them Attiret. The group produced 16 tableaux, which were engraved in France in 1774, six years after Attiret's death in Beijing.
See also
- Jesuit China missions
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Jean Denis Attiret — Painter, born at Dole, France, 31 July, 1702; died at Pekin, 8 December, 1768. He made serious artistic studies in Rome and after returning to his native country achieved considerable reputation as a portrait painter. He entered the Jesuit novitiate as a lay brother and has left some specimens of his work in the Cathedral of Avignon and the Sodality chapel which he painted while a novice. The Jesuits had many of their men in China employed as painters. Attiret joined them in 1737 and was easily the superior of all. He was honoured with the title of Painter to the Emperor, who visited his studio daily and finally made him a mandarin in spite of the brother's unwillingness to accept the honour. As all the work was done not for art but for the sake of pleasing the emperor, every suggestion he made was carefully attended to. Oil was not agreeable, so aquarelles and distemper were resorted to. The Emperor did not like shading, for he thought of it was a blot, so that disappeared. It all ended in Attiret becoming altogether Chinese in his tastes and his methods, so that he no longer painted like a European. He made portraits of all the distinguished court-personages, but most of his work was done on glass or silk and represented trees, and fruits, and fishes and animals, etc. When, however, the emperor had beaten back the Tatars, he ordered the battles to be painted. Four Jesuit brothers, among whom was Attiret, made sixteen tableaux, which were engraved in France in 1774. When the collection arrived from France, however, Attiret was dead. The emperor manifested great concern at his loss, bore the expenses of the obsequies, and sent a special representative to show his sorrow at the tomb. Attiret is credited with at least 200 portraits.
References
- Back to citation "Collections Online | British Museum". British Museum. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
- Back to citation "Artist Info". National Gallery of Art (USA). Retrieved 2020-06-13.
- Back to citation "Attiret, Jean Denis". Biblical Cyclopedia. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- European Buildings with Chinese Characteristics
- Jean-Denis Attiret, 'A Particular Account of the Emperor of China's gardens near Pekin' Archived 2015-01-09 at the Wayback Machine, 1749.