Talented French draughtsman, printmaker and painter. 17 years old were invited together with his mentor, L.-J. Lelorrain, in St. Petersburg. to teach drawing in the newly established Academy of fine arts, but stayed there only two years; on his return home studied with J.-F. lebas, and has made particularly rapid progress in engraving strong vodka and dry needle. The ease with which given to him the composition, skill and taste in drawing and a rare work ethic pushed him into the forefront of a number of painters one with him specialties. In 1770 he was appointed draughtsman to the Royal menus plaisirs and soon after elected a member of the Paris AKD. But with a trip to Italy, committed by him in 1785, began his work a turn for the worse: before independent, lively, playful, though somewhat mannered in the spirit of Louis XVI, he contracted a desire for the unusual grandeur and antique style. The great Franz. revolution finally changed its direction; treating it sympathetically, he dedicated to her his art, and instead of court festivities and entertainment began to depict the revolutionary festivals and gatherings, progresiva their stilted amazom. Little by little it has lost its originality and found myself in the crowd of artists who followed the triumphal chariot L. David. This did not prevent him to get in 1797 the place of Professor at the Paris Central taught. fine arts, and the restoration of the Bourbons the title of Royal painter. All of the etchings executed by him or by others according to his figures, there are up to 3000. Beyond his own compositions, he engraved from the paintings of Boucher, J. Vernet, Teniers and of Rembrandt, and portraits by C. Bourdon, S., vanloo, V. Denon, etc. But most of his works — illustrations for books. Of them for the blooming season it should point to pictures to "Metamorphoses" of Ovid (performed in collaboration with Boucher, Eisen and Gravel), "Raging Roland" Ariosto, "Songs" paltry poet Delaborde, to the works of Rousseau and Voltaire, particularly the drawings of the second and third books of the album "Monument du costume", represent perhaps the most interesting illustrated publication of the last century and because hitherto highly valued by lovers of art (drawings of the first volume belong to S. Freudenberger). Among the compositions of M, appeared in the light of the individual prints, the most wonderful "Courtly masquerade" and "the Oath of Louis XVI in coronation".
