Jean Clouet

Jean [Janet] Clouet (d.1540) has little known about his early life, with the first official mention of him being in 1516 as a "painter" to Francis I, King of France, for whom he became in 1528 the chief "painter and valet". Most of Clouet's art reflects the people and life of the French Court, his portraits in particular being still regarded as some of the finest 16th century French works. His preferred medium was chalk (red, white and black), but a few oil paintings and miniatures have been identified as Clouet's.