 jean (or jehan) fouquet (1420â1481) was a preeminent french painter of the 15th century,encyclopaedia britannica a master of both panel painting and manuscript illumination, and the apparent inventor of the portrait miniature. he was the first french artist to travel to italy and experience first-hand the early italian renaissance. ==life== jean fouquet was born in tours. little is known of his life, but it is certain that he was in italy before 1447, where he executed a portrait of pope eugene iv who died in that year (the portrait survives only in much later copies). upon his return to france, while retaining his purely french sentiment, he grafted the elements of the tuscan style, which he had acquired during his period in italy, upon the style of the van eycks, forming the basis of early 15th-century french art and becoming the founder of an important new school. he worked for the french court, including charles vii, the treasurer Ãtienne chevalier, and the chancellor guillaume jouvenel des ursins. near the end of his career, he became court painter to louis xi. his work can be associated with the french court's attempt to solidify french national identity in the wake of its long struggle with england in the hundred years' war.erik inglis, jean fouquet and the invention of france: art and nation after the hundred years war. (new haven and london: yale university press, 2011) one example is when fouquet depicts charles vii as one of the three magi. this is one of the very few portraits of the king. according to some sources, the other two magi are the dauphin louis, future louis xi, and his brother. image:l adoration des mages.jpg| charles vii as one of the three magi. file:entrÃ©e de charles v Ã  paris.jpg|entry of charles v in parison 2 august 1358, grandes chroniques de france (1455-1460) image:mariage de charles iv le bel et de marie de luxembourg.jpg|marriage of charles iv and marie of luxembourg file:hommage d Ãdouard ier Ã  philippe le bel.jpg|from grandes chroniques de france illustrated by jean fouquet, 1455-1460 paris ==works== [[image:jean fouquet - portrait of guillaume jouvenel des ursins - louvre.jpg|thumb|160px| left|portrait of the chancellor of france [[guillaume jou
1420_births 1481_deaths 15th-century_French_painters Court_painters French_Renaissance_painters Manuscript_illuminators People_from_Tours Portrait_miniaturists