Hubert Robert

Hubert Robert (1733-1808) was a French painter and draughtsman known for his architectural and landscape paintings. He was born in Paris and trained under his father, a sculptor. He later studied with the painter Jean-Baptiste Pigalle and the engraver Jean-Charles François. Robert became interested in painting landscapes and ruins, and began to develop his own style, which combined the influence of the classical tradition with a romantic sensibility. He exhibited his work at the Salon and was appointed as the court painter to King Louis XVI. During the French Revolution, Robert was imprisoned for his royalist sympathies, but was released after a few months. He continued to paint until his death in 1808, leaving behind a significant body of work that is admired for its technical skill and imaginative composition.