Pierre Quesnel
Encyclopedia
Pierre Quesnel was a 16th-century French artist who worked in Scotland.
Pierre worked in Scotland for Mary of Guise
and James V
. He is listed as an Usher in Guise's household and is identified as the queen's painter in the Scottish Treasurer's Accounts. (Artists at the French court were also given positions as ushers or valets
.) Pierre, 'Perys the uscher', was given £10 at the time of Mary of Guise's coronation. According to an inscription on the back of a portrait of his son Nicholas, he married Madeleine Digby in Scotland, and his eldest son the painter François Quesnel
was born in Edinburgh. Quesnel must have returned to France with his family around 1544. His sons Nicolas and Jacques were also artists, and a number of chalk portraits by François and Nicolas survive. Jacques's work is known only through a single drawing, Time slaying Youth.
Pierre's work is also mostly lost, excepting an Architectural Study after Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
, preserved at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
in Paris, and another drawing, a view called Château of Sées
. The Abbé de Marolles
, a seventeenth century French writer, recorded Pierre in verse as the designer of a stained-glass window for the Eglise des Augustins in Paris in 1557, with subject, Ascension of Christ with Portraits of Henri II
and Catherine de Medici, now destroyed. Marolles also stated that Pierre and his son François designed tapestries
.
Although these works are destroyed, there is a portrait of Pierre himself made by Nicolas or François in 1574. The historian Andrea Thomas argued from Pierre's small salary as an usher in Scotland that he was a decorative painter rather a portrait artist. Pierre and François are recorded painting panelling and chimneypieces in Paris in 1570. However, in November 1541, Mary of Guise's mother, Antoinette de Bourbon
, wrote to thank her daughter for the portrait miniature James V had sent, which she called a 'diamond', and was presumably painted from life;
Pierre worked in Scotland for Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
and James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
. He is listed as an Usher in Guise's household and is identified as the queen's painter in the Scottish Treasurer's Accounts. (Artists at the French court were also given positions as ushers or valets
Valet de chambre
Valet de chambre , or varlet de chambre, was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards. Royal Households had many persons appointed at any time...
.) Pierre, 'Perys the uscher', was given £10 at the time of Mary of Guise's coronation. According to an inscription on the back of a portrait of his son Nicholas, he married Madeleine Digby in Scotland, and his eldest son the painter François Quesnel
François Quesnel
François Quesnel was a French painter of Scottish extraction.The son of the French painter Pierre Quesnel and his Scottish wife Madeleine Digby, born in Edinburgh while his father worked for Mary of Guise, Quesnel found patronage at the French court of Catherine de Medici and her son, Henri III...
was born in Edinburgh. Quesnel must have returned to France with his family around 1544. His sons Nicolas and Jacques were also artists, and a number of chalk portraits by François and Nicolas survive. Jacques's work is known only through a single drawing, Time slaying Youth.
Pierre's work is also mostly lost, excepting an Architectural Study after Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau
Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau, born in 1510 in Paris, France and died in 1584 in Annecy was a well-known designer of architecture, ornament, furniture, metalwork and other decorative designs during 16th century, and the founder of the Androuet du Cerceau family. He introduced Renaissance...
, preserved at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts
The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts is the distinguished National School of Fine Arts in Paris, France.The École des Beaux-arts is made up of a vast complex of buildings located at 14 rue Bonaparte, between the quai Malaquais and the rue Bonaparte, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près,...
in Paris, and another drawing, a view called Château of Sées
Sées
Sées is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.It lies on the Orne River from its source and north-by-northeast of Alençon.-Name:...
. The Abbé de Marolles
Michel de Marolles
Michel de Marolles , known as the abbé de Marolles, was a French churchman and translator, known for his collection of engravings. He became a monk in 1610 and later was abbot of Villeloin . He was the author of many translations of Latin poets and was part of many salons, notably that of Madeleine...
, a seventeenth century French writer, recorded Pierre in verse as the designer of a stained-glass window for the Eglise des Augustins in Paris in 1557, with subject, Ascension of Christ with Portraits of Henri II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
and Catherine de Medici, now destroyed. Marolles also stated that Pierre and his son François designed tapestries
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
.
Although these works are destroyed, there is a portrait of Pierre himself made by Nicolas or François in 1574. The historian Andrea Thomas argued from Pierre's small salary as an usher in Scotland that he was a decorative painter rather a portrait artist. Pierre and François are recorded painting panelling and chimneypieces in Paris in 1570. However, in November 1541, Mary of Guise's mother, Antoinette de Bourbon
Antoinette de Bourbon
Antoinette de Bourbon was a French noblewoman of the House of Bourbon. She was the wife of Claude de Lorraine, Duke of Guise...
, wrote to thank her daughter for the portrait miniature James V had sent, which she called a 'diamond', and was presumably painted from life;
"pour bien faire mes tres humbles mersimens au Roy du dyament quy luy a pleu m'envoyer. Je vous repons se m'a este present bien agreable et que j'ayme aultant qu'yl est possible; il sera garde toute ma vye pour l'onneur de luy. Je l'ay trouve sy beau sa painture que sy savyes combien je l'ayme j'e peur vous en series jallouse.
And to make my very humble thanks to the King for the 'diamond' he sent me. I tell you it is most agreeable and I hold it in highest esteem, it will be kept carefully all my life for his honour. I find his picture so beautiful that if it was known how much, you would be jealous."