Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu


Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu, called "Tardieu fils" or "Tardieu the younger", was a French engraver.

Biography

Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu was born on 2 September 1716 in Paris.
He was the son of Marie-Anne Horthemels and Nicolas-Henri Tardieu, both engravers.
He was taught by his father, who was recognized as one of the most eminent engravers France has produced.
He was received at the Académie française on 24 October 1749 for his engraved portraits of Bon Boullogne and Le Lorrain.
He became graveur ordinaire du roi and is also described as graveur ordinaire of the Elector of Cologne.
Tardieu married in turn two print makers, Jeanne-Louise-Françoise Duvivier and Élisabeth-Claire Tournay.
Jeanne-Louise is on record as having made several engravings.
Her father, Jean Duvivier, and her brother, Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, were both medal engravers, members of the Academy and graveurs du roi. Jeanne-Louise died on 6 April 1762.
Tardieu's second wife, Élisabeth Claire was also an engraver.
Her works included The Concert after Jean François de Troy, La Marchande de moutarde after Charles François Hutin, La Dame de Charité, Le Prêtre du Catéchisme and La Vieille Coquette after Pierre Louis Dumesnil, and Le Joli Dormir after Étienne Jeaurat. The tendency for wives to become prominent artists beside their husbands was unusual at the time but was common in the Tardieu family.
Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu died in Paris on 9 July 1791.
His son Jean-Charles Tardieu became a well-known painter.

Œuvres

Tardieu made less use of the point graver than his father, and more use of the Burin, or cold chisel.
As a result, his prints are more precise. It has been said, however, that they are "inferior in spirit and picturesqueness of effect."
He made some of the plates for the Gallery of Versailles, after paintings by Charles Le Brun.
His greatest ability may have been in portraits, such as those of his father and of Alexis Simon Belle, Pierre Jeannin and Mademoiselle du Bocage. His most notable portrait was that of the queen Marie Leszczyńska, after Jean-Marc Nattier.
Tardieu's portraits include:
Other well-known works are:
Other works are: