The founder of the French Classical tradition, painter Nicolas Poussin was initially influenced by Venetian art but later deviated to antiquity. Most of his paintings showcased historical, mythological, biblical elements but some were also inspired by landscapes and poetry. The Death of the Virgin remains one of his best-known works.

Charles Le Brun was a French physiognomist, painter, and art theorist. He served as the director of many popular art schools of his time. He also served as the court painter to Louis the Great, who called him the greatest French artist. An influential artist of 17th-century France, Charles Le Brun's works are still preserved in the popular Louvre Museum.


One of the co-founders of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, Eustache Le Sueur was also one of its first professors. He is best remembered for his religious art that showcased the French Baroque style. Born to a wood sculptor father, he was later trained in painting under Simon Vouet.

Pierre Puget was a French Baroque architect, painter, sculptor, and engineer. His sculptures expressed drama, pathos, and emotion, making them unique and setting them apart from the academic and classical sculptures of French classicism. Pierre Puget is credited with helping Pietro da Cortona paint the ceilings of the Palazzo Pitti at Florence and the Palazzo Barberini in Rome.



