Presumed portrait of Marin Marais, composer - French school from the end of the 17th century attributed to Andre Bouys (1656 - 1740)

French school from the end of the 17th century attributed to Andre Bouys (1656; 1740) Presumed portrait of Marin Marais, composer, conductor and gambist at the court of Louis XIV

Canvas canvas 75 cm by 58 cm
Old frame of 93 cm by 77 cm

This portrait is most likely that of Marin Marais.

We find the smooth invoice that the painter likes and his way of caring for velvets. The care also taken to the wig and the face makes this work of great beauty and astonishing realism.

André Bouys (1656; 1740)

A pupil of François de Troy, he was received as an academician on November 27, 1688 with two portraits, that of the painter Charles Delafosse and that of the sculptor Etienne le Hongre. He became advisor to the Academy on July 2, 1707. He exhibited at the salon in 1699, 1704 and 1737. Recognized portrait painter is very appreciated by his contemporaries, he will devote himself to genre painting at the very end of his career.

Marin Marais (1656; 1728)

Marin Marais was born in Paris on May 31, 1656. In 1667, he became an altar boy in Saint-Germain-L’auxerrois, where he met M.R. De Lalande, also an altar boy.
At 16, he left Saint-Germain-L’auxerrois and tried to improve his skills with Sainte-Colombe on bass viol. The latter, perhaps fearing that the student will overtake the teacher, tells him after 6 months that he can no longer teach him anything.
He then joined the orchestra of the Royal Academy of Music, headed by Lully.
In 1679, he obtained a position of "chamber music viol player" in the King's Music (Louis XIV), a position which he combined with a career as an opera musician for 40 years.
It was in 1685 that he began to write viola pieces.
After Lully's death, he wrote "Alcide" in collaboration with Louis de Lully, son of Jean-Baptiste, an opera which achieved great success in 1693. In 1704 he became permanent conductor at the opera.
Marin Marais died on August 15, 1728.

The life of Marais Marin was recounted in the film by A. Corneau: Every morning in the world.