Georges de la Tour

For the art lovers, here is a little more information about the painter, Georges de la Tour, from whom I copied the detail for my profile picture. From time to time, I am going to profile an artist on this blog. I will offer you some basic details on the artist's life, share some of his/her paintings and give you links for more info.

Georges de la Tour was born in 1593 in Vic-sur-Seille, France. He painted at his studio in Luneville. He died there in 1692. Though he was given the title of "Painter to the King" in 1638 or 1639 (depending on who provides the information), his introduction to the world came after his death thanks to a German scholar in 1915.

The rest of what is known or said about him is mostly the best guesses that art historians can make given what they see in his paintings and know about the time in which he lived.

There are many sites with information about de la Tour, but there is little info about his life. Most of the sites give information about his style; they venture guesses about his influences; and they talk about the paintings that can be attributed to him.

De la Tour is in many museums around the world. Here are a few, but there are many more.

The Penitent Magdalen
1638-43
Oil on canvas
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Met, as it is affectionately called, is a must see if you are ever in New York.




The Dream of St Joseph
c. 1640
Oil on canvas
Musee des Beaux-Arts, Nantes (France)




The Card Sharp with the Ace of Clubs.
c. 1620-1640
Oil on canvas
Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX, USA
There are several versions of this painting, another is at the Louvre.


The Musician's Brawl
about 1625 - 1630
Oil on canvas The Getty Trust (currently on view at The Getty Center Los Angeles)