Laurent de La Hyre (1606-1656) stands as a significant, if sometimes underappreciated, figure in the rich tapestry of 17th-century French art. Flourishing during a pivotal era that saw French painting transition from late Mannerist influences towards a distinctive national Baroque and an emergent Classicism, La Hyre carved out a unique niche for himself. He became a leading exponent of what is often termed "Parisian Atticism," a refined, elegant, and somewhat restrained classical style that offered a sophisticated alternative to the more exuberant Baroque tendencies of some of his contemporaries. His oeuvre, characterized by harmonious compositions, delicate color palettes, and a gentle, poetic sensibility, encompasses religious narratives, mythological scenes, allegories, landscapes, and portraits, reflecting the diverse demands of his patrons and the intellectual currents of his time.
Early Life and Artistic Formation
Born in Paris on February 27, 1606, Laurent de La Hyre was immersed in an artistic environment from a young age. His father, Étienne de La Hyre (c. 1583–1643), was a painter of some repute, specializing in animal subjects and landscapes. It was under his father's tutelage that Laurent likely received his initial instruction in the rudiments of art. This familial grounding provided a practical foundation, but the young artist's ambitions and the evolving artistic landscape of Paris would soon lead him to seek broader influences.
Unlike many of his ambitious contemporaries, such as Nicolas Poussin or Claude Lorrain, La Hyre never undertook the then-customary journey to Italy to study firsthand the masterpieces of antiquity and the Italian Renaissance and Baroque. This decision, or perhaps circumstance, significantly shaped his artistic development. Instead of direct immersion in Rome or Venice, La Hyre absorbed Italianate influences through the artistic resources available in and around Paris.
The School of Fontainebleau and Georges Lallemand
A crucial site for La Hyre's indirect engagement with Italian art was the Château de Fontainebleau. The decorative schemes there, executed by Italian artists like Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio for King Francis I in the previous century, constituted the heart of the "First School of Fontainebleau." These works, with their elongated figures, complex allegories, and sophisticated decorative sense, left an indelible mark on French art. La Hyre is known to have studied Primaticcio's work at Fontainebleau, absorbing its elegance and refined Mannerist grace, which he would later temper with a more classical clarity.
His formal apprenticeship, however, was with Georges Lallemand (or Lallemant), a painter from Nancy who ran a busy studio in Paris. Lallemand, active roughly from 1575 to 1636, represented a late, somewhat provincial, iteration of Mannerism. His style was characterized by dramatic lighting, somewhat contorted figures, and a darker palette. While La Hyre spent time in Lallemand's studio, his mature style would diverge significantly from his master's, moving towards greater luminosity, balance, and classical composure. Nevertheless, the studio experience would have provided him with practical skills in composition and execution. Other notable artists who passed through Lallemand's studio included Nicolas Poussin and Philippe de Champaigne, though their tenures were also relatively brief.
Emergence of a Personal Style: Early Commissions
By the late 1620s, La Hyre began to establish himself as an independent master. His early works show a painter grappling with various influences, including the lingering Mannerism of Fontainebleau and Lallemand, as well as the burgeoning Baroque style being popularized by artists like Simon Vouet, who had returned from Italy in 1627 and brought with him a lighter, more decorative version of the Italian Baroque.
One of La Hyre’s earliest significant commissions, and a work that garnered him considerable attention, was "Pope Nicholas V Opening the Crypt to Find the Body of Saint Francis of Assisi" (1630), painted for the Capuchin friars in the Marais district of Paris. Now in the Louvre, this painting demonstrates his burgeoning ability to handle complex multi-figure compositions and to convey a sense of solemn dignity. The clear narrative, balanced composition, and the somewhat cool, silvery light prefigure his mature classical tendencies, though a certain theatricality still links it to Baroque sensibilities. The work was highly praised and is considered a milestone in his early career, influencing other artists of his generation.
Another important early religious work is "The Liberation of Saint Peter" (1632). Here, the dramatic potential of the subject is explored with a focus on clear storytelling and expressive figures, all within a carefully structured composition. The interplay of light and shadow, while present, is controlled, avoiding the extreme chiaroscuro of Caravaggio and his followers, and instead favoring a more even illumination that enhances the clarity of form.
The "Mays" of Notre-Dame and Religious Painting
La Hyre contributed to the prestigious tradition of the "Mays" of Notre-Dame. These were large-scale paintings commissioned annually by the goldsmiths' guild of Paris to be presented to the cathedral on the first of May, typically depicting scenes from the Acts of the Apostles. La Hyre painted two such works: "Saint Peter Healing the Sick with His Shadow" (1635) and "The Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus" (1637). Both are now in the collection of the Louvre Museum, having originally adorned Notre-Dame Cathedral.
"Saint Peter Healing the Sick" is a masterful composition, showcasing La Hyre's skill in arranging numerous figures in a coherent and dynamic narrative. The architecture provides a stable, classical framework for the unfolding miracle. The figures are individualized, their gestures and expressions conveying a range of emotions from hope to awe. The palette is rich yet harmonious, with cool blues, reds, and ochres predominating.
"The Conversion of Saint Paul" tackles a more tumultuous event. La Hyre captures the divine intervention with a sense of drama, but it is a controlled drama. Paul, thrown from his horse, is bathed in a celestial light, while his companions react with confusion and fear. The composition is dynamic, yet every element is carefully placed to lead the eye and enhance the narrative impact. These Mays solidified La Hyre's reputation as one of Paris's leading religious painters. His approach to religious subjects was characterized by its dignity, clarity, and emotional sincerity, avoiding excessive sentimentality or overt theatricality.
Parisian Atticism: A Refined Classicism
As La Hyre's career progressed through the 1630s and 1640s, his style crystallized into what art historians have termed "Parisian Atticism." This term, referencing the classical ideals of ancient Athens (Attica), describes a particularly French mode of Classicism characterized by elegance, restraint, clarity of design, harmonious color, and a lyrical, often poetic, mood. It stood in contrast to the more robust and dynamic Baroque of artists like Peter Paul Rubens or the more severe and intellectual Classicism of Nicolas Poussin, who was largely based in Rome.
La Hyre, along with contemporaries like Eustache Le Sueur (1616-1655) and Jacques Stella (1596-1657), became a key proponent of this Parisian style. Their work appealed to a sophisticated clientele that appreciated subtlety and refinement. La Hyre's figures often possess a graceful, almost balletic quality, and his draperies are rendered with a delicate understanding of form and texture. His landscapes, whether as backdrops to narrative scenes or as pure landscapes, are imbued with a serene, idyllic quality, often featuring classical ruins that evoke a nostalgic sense of antiquity.
Mythological and Allegorical Works
Beyond religious commissions, La Hyre also excelled in mythological and allegorical subjects, which provided ample opportunity to display his classical erudition and his skill in depicting the human form. These works were often destined for the elegant Parisian hôtels particuliers (private mansions) of discerning collectors.
A notable series from this period includes the allegories of the Liberal Arts. For instance, "Allegory of Music" (1649), now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and "Allegory of Geometry" (1649), in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio, were part of a set painted for the Parisian townhouse of Gédéon Tallemant. These paintings exemplify Parisian Atticism. In "Allegory of Music," a graceful female figure, personifying Music, is surrounded by musical instruments and putti. The composition is balanced, the colors are cool and harmonious (dominated by blues, pinks, and whites), and the mood is one of serene contemplation. The classical architecture and the distant landscape further enhance the idyllic atmosphere. "Allegory of Geometry" similarly features an elegant female figure with attributes of her discipline, set within a calm, ordered environment.
His mythological paintings often depicted scenes from Ovid or other classical sources, rendered with a characteristic gentleness and poetic charm. He avoided the overt sensuality or violence found in some Baroque interpretations of these myths, preferring to emphasize the lyrical or pathetic aspects of the stories.
Landscape Painting
La Hyre was also one of the pioneers of classical landscape painting in France, alongside contemporaries like Claude Lorrain (though Lorrain worked primarily in Italy) and some works by Poussin. La Hyre's landscapes are typically idealized, featuring serene vistas, carefully arranged trees, classical buildings or ruins, and often small figures that add a narrative or pastoral element. These landscapes are not wild, untamed nature, but rather nature ordered and harmonized by classical principles. They evoke a sense of peace and timelessness. Works like "Landscape with Swimmers" (1650s, Louvre) showcase his ability to create atmospheric depth and a gentle, diffused light that bathes the scene in a soft glow. His contribution to this genre was significant in establishing a French tradition of classical landscape that would continue for generations.
The Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture
The mid-17th century was a period of increasing centralization and institutionalization of the arts in France, largely under the impetus of figures like Cardinal Richelieu and later Jean-Baptiste Colbert under Louis XIV. A key event in this process was the founding of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture (Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture) in 1648. This institution aimed to elevate the status of artists from craftsmen to liberal arts practitioners, to provide a structured system of art education, and to establish aesthetic standards.
Laurent de La Hyre was one of the twelve founding members (the anciens) of the Royal Academy, a testament to his established reputation and his alignment with the classical ideals that the Academy sought to promote. Other founding members included prominent artists such as Charles Le Brun, Sébastien Bourdon, Philippe de Champaigne, and Eustache Le Sueur. His involvement with the Academy underscores his position within the artistic establishment of Paris. He would have participated in its early meetings and contributed to shaping its initial direction, which heavily favored history painting and classical principles.
Decorative Works and Tapestry Design
La Hyre's talents extended to decorative projects, including designs for tapestries. He is known to have created cartoons for the Gobelins manufactory, which, under royal patronage, became a leading center for tapestry production. This work required a different set of skills, involving large-scale compositions that could be translated into woven form, and an understanding of decorative effect. His classical style, with its clear outlines and harmonious colors, lent itself well to this medium. He also undertook decorative paintings for Parisian residences and possibly for ecclesiastical settings, beyond his easel paintings. For example, he created murals for the Paris City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), though these were unfortunately destroyed during the Paris Commune in 1871.
Contemporaries and Artistic Milieu
La Hyre operated within a vibrant and competitive artistic milieu in Paris. Simon Vouet (1590-1649) was a dominant figure in the 1630s and early 1640s, popularizing a lighter, more decorative Baroque style after his return from Italy. La Hyre’s more restrained classicism offered an alternative. Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674), a Flemish-born artist who also became a founding member of the Academy, developed a sober, realistic, and deeply spiritual style, particularly in his portraits and religious works associated with Jansenism.
Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), though spending most of his career in Rome, was a towering figure whose intellectually rigorous classicism profoundly influenced French art, particularly through his paintings imported to Paris and his brief return in 1640-42. While La Hyre’s classicism was generally softer and more lyrical than Poussin’s, he undoubtedly respected and learned from Poussin’s example.
Eustache Le Sueur is perhaps the artist whose style most closely aligns with La Hyre's Parisian Atticism. Le Sueur’s work, such as his famous series on the Life of St. Bruno (Louvre), shares La Hyre’s gentle color harmonies, graceful figures, and serene compositions. Sébastien Bourdon (1616-1671) was a more eclectic artist, capable of working in various styles, including Bamboccianti-esque genre scenes, Poussin-like classical compositions, and portraits. Jacques Stella, another proponent of a refined classicism, also shared stylistic affinities with La Hyre. The interactions, rivalries, and shared influences among these artists created a dynamic artistic environment. One might also consider the work of Lubin Baugin, known for his exquisite still lifes but also for religious paintings that show a similar classical restraint.
Later Career and Legacy
Laurent de La Hyre continued to be productive throughout the 1640s and into the 1650s. His style remained consistent, characterized by its elegance, clarity, and poetic sensibility. He painted a variety of subjects, always bringing his distinctive refinement to each commission. His son, Philippe de La Hyre (1640-1718), became a notable scientist and mathematician but also received artistic training from his father and produced some paintings. François Chauveau, a prominent engraver, was one of his pupils, and through engravings, La Hyre's compositions became more widely known.
Laurent de La Hyre died relatively young, on December 28, 1656, in Paris, at the age of fifty. His death occurred just as the reign of Louis XIV was beginning to assert its cultural dominance, which would see the rise of Charles Le Brun as the leading artistic figure, orchestrating the grand decorative schemes at Versailles in a more opulent and heroic style of classicism.
Despite the shift in taste towards a grander, more rhetorical style under Le Brun, La Hyre's influence persisted. His contribution to the development of French Classicism, particularly its more intimate and lyrical vein, was significant. He provided a model of elegance and refinement that appealed to a particular segment of French society. His landscapes, in particular, were influential on subsequent generations of French landscape painters.
La Hyre in Collections and the Art Market
Today, Laurent de La Hyre's works are held in major museum collections worldwide. The Musée du Louvre in Paris possesses the most extensive collection, including key works like "Pope Nicholas V," the two "Mays," and several mythological and landscape paintings. Other French museums, such as those in Strasbourg, Rouen, and Le Mans, also have examples of his work.
Internationally, his paintings can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the National Gallery (London), the Toledo Museum of Art (Ohio), the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), and the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg), among others.
On the art market, La Hyre's paintings appear periodically. Works with strong provenance and in good condition can command significant prices, reflecting a renewed appreciation for his refined classicism and his historical importance. For instance, his "Madone Pénitente" was estimated at €150,000-€200,000 in a 2024 auction. Another work reportedly sold for around $985,000 in London. These figures indicate a solid market for an artist who, while perhaps not as universally famous as Poussin or Lorrain, is highly esteemed by connoisseurs and institutions.
Conclusion: An Artist of Refined Sensibility
Laurent de La Hyre was a pivotal artist in 17th-century France, skillfully navigating the artistic currents of his time to forge a distinctive and influential style. Without the direct experience of Italy, he nonetheless absorbed classical principles and Italianate grace, blending them with a native French sensibility to become a leading figure of Parisian Atticism. His works, whether religious, mythological, or landscape, are characterized by their harmonious compositions, delicate and often cool color palettes, elegant figures, and an overarching mood of serene, poetic beauty.
As a founding member of the Royal Academy, he played a role in the institutionalization of art in France. His paintings offered a sophisticated alternative to more bombastic Baroque styles and to the severe intellectualism of Poussin, appealing to patrons who valued refinement and lyrical charm. While his fame may have been somewhat eclipsed by the grandeur of the art produced under Louis XIV, Laurent de La Hyre remains a crucial figure for understanding the diversity and richness of French art in the 17th century, an artist whose quiet elegance continues to resonate. His legacy lies in his contribution to a distinctly French form of classicism, one marked by grace, clarity, and an enduring poetic appeal.
