Jacques-Louis David

1748 (Paris) – 1825 (Brussels)

David was sent to the aged Boucher for instruction, who passed him on to Vien, with whom he studied in Paris and Rome. He met Mengs in Rome, who introduced him to Winckelmann’s ideas. Among his many students were Lund, Ingres, and Gros (he passed his Paris studio on to Gros when he exiled himself in Brussels, where Géricault, on his way back from England, met him); Paulze also studied with him, possibly in order to improve her drawing of scientific instruments, and may have provided the link between David and her husband Lavoisier (David painted a notable portrait of the two).