Jean Baptiste Oudry

Jean Baptiste Oudry , 1686-1755, French animal painter. A pupil of Largillière, he became court painter to Louis XV, recording the king's hunts in his paintings and tapestry designs. He was also director of the Beauvais and the Gobelin tapestry works. He is known for his illustrations of La Fontaine's Fables. His work, to be seen in museums throughout Europe, is characterized by the use of brilliant color. Typical of his work are Ducks Resting in Sunshine and Dogs Guarding Dead Game (Metropolitan Mus.)

Oudry, Jean-Baptiste (b Paris, 17 Mar. 1686; d Beauvais, 30 Apr. 1755). French painter, tapestry designer, and illustrator. He was a pupil of Largillière and painted some portraits, but he is renowned chiefly as one of the outstanding animal painters of the 18th century. With Desportes he was his period's foremost exponent of hunting scenes and still-lifes with dead game. Some of his best work was done as a tapestry designer, and he was head of the Beauvais and Gobelins factories from 1734 and 1748 respectively. He also did book illustrations, notably for an edition of La Fontaine's Fables (1755–9).