Portrait of Charles VII, King of France

One of the finest French painters of the fifteenth century, Jean Fouquet's paintings bridge the gap between French International Gothic and Italian Early Renaissance. In fact, he was the first French artist to travel to Italy and experience the early Italian Renaissance for himself. He mastered both panel painting and manuscript illumination, and was known for his portrait art, as exemplified by the “Portrait of Charles VII, King of France.” He was employed by the French court and served as an official painter for both Charles VII and Louis XI. Therefore, his works can be associated with the French court’s attempt to strengthen French national identity. Fouquet’s depiction of Charles VII reveals his excellence as a portraitist and his precision in the rendering of the finest details. In this painting of King Charles VII’s portrait, the king is placed between drawn curtains. His depiction of the king is characterised by a narrow, austere face, melancholic eyes, and puritan simplicity. The V-shaped gold pattern on the blue hat adds extravagance to his artwork. Brown fur surrounds the collar and cuffs of King Charles VII’s plain dark crimson velvet doublet. The eyes are portrayed as narrow, the nose is long, the lips are heavy, and the face appears to have been sculpted by a sculptor’s chisel. Furthermore, the king is depicted in a three-quarter profile by the artist.