1694 — 1752

Nationality: France

Charles-Antoine Coypel was a French painter, Premier Painter to the King and director of the Royal Academy in the eighteenth century. He developed an elegant, theatrical manner that fused precise drawing, refined colour and staged composition, informed by his engagement with theatre and literature. His works—whether grand court portraits, tapestry cartoons for the Gobelins (notably on Don Quixote), or stage designs—are distinguished by narrative richness, sumptuous fabrics and controlled light.