Charles Nicolas Cochin

Charles Nicolas Cochin , 1715-90, French engraver, designer, writer on art, and painter to the French court. His works, more than 1,500 in number, include historical subjects, such as the Marriage of the Dauphin, vignettes and frontispieces, book illustrations, and pencil and crayon portraits.

Cochin, Charles-Nicolas the Younger (b Paris, 22 Feb. 1715; d Paris, 29 Apr. 1790). French engraver, trained by his father Charles-Nicolas the Elder (1688–1754). He was one of the outstanding French engravers of the 18th century, and his huge output forms an invaluable record of contemporary society, particularly life at the court of Louis XV, whose personal favour he enjoyed. However, he is now just as well known for his other roles in the art world. He wrote a good deal, notably the first biography of Chardin (the account was written in 1780, the year after Chardin's death, but it was not published until 1875–6), and he played a key role in art administration as secretary of the Académie Royale (see academy) from 1755. In his writings he tried to educate the public, for example by denouncing the excesses of the Rococo style, and his friend Diderot often sought his advice when writing his own Salon reviews.