Francois Pascal Simon
Gerard

François Pascal Simon gérard (François Pascal Simon, Baron Gérard, may 4, 1770 — 1837) was a French historian and artist.

He studied sculpture under the guidance of Pau, but has shown the ability not so much to this art, how to painting, went to the disciples to L. David and received in the days of the First Empire brilliant reputation, which, however, faded considerably in his lifetime. The first picture of Gerard, drew on him the attention of art lovers and the public, was "Belisarius" (1795) and "the First kiss of Cupid and psyche" (1798; Louvre Museum, Paris).

Despite the success of these works, Gerard 1800 only became really popular after Napoleon I commissioned him to write his portrait and ordered in 1806 to portray the "Battle of Austerlitz" (located in historic Versailles gallery). Shortly after this picture was another, the "Three age", as not expressing the talent of the artist, as his "Daphnis and Chloe" (1824; Louvre). His real vocation was the portrait, in a wide, if possible so to speak, the historical meaning of the word. Like that Gerard was an extraordinary ability to convey not only the individual features of the depicted figures and the most inherent expression, but the imprint of the spirit of the era, their role in modern society.

Especially good in this respect, his portraits of women, among which the most remarkable is necessary to recognize the portrait of Madame Récamier (1802), belonging to the best of his works and performance. Among the other works of Gerard deserve to be mentioned: the portraits of Empress Josephine, of Louis XVIII in his study (in the Versailles historical Museum), the painter Isabey (in the Louvre) and of the sculptor Canova (ibid) and the work: "Entry of Henry IV into Paris in 1594" (in the Louvre), "the Coronation of king Charles X" (the Versailles historical Museum) and "Corinne at the Cape Lisinskom".