Early Life and Training
Born in 1644 in Saint-Omer, France, Arnould de Vuez was the son of a soldier who worked to support his eight children. To refine his craft, he traveled to Paris to study in the studio of Luc, a Récollet monk. His journey later took him to live with his uncle, a canon stationed in Venice and Rome, where he achieved recognition by winning first prize for drawing at the Accademia di San Luca.
Career and Artistic Legacy
While in Paris, de Vuez operated under the protection of Charles Le Brun at the court of Louis XIV. His professional life saw him commissioned to paint The Incredulity of St Thomas for Notre Dame de Paris, a work held at the primatiale st Jean de Lyon. Following the death of Le Brun, he established himself in Lille, where he remained for fifty years. During this time, he received numerous commissions from various religious institutions, including the Carmelites at Douai, the Benedictines at Marchiennes, the Jesuits at Cambrai, and the Hospice Comtesse. His style was shaped by the Italian Renaissance and the color sensibilities of Flemish artists such as Rubens and Anthony van Dyck.
