Gabriel François Doyen (1726 – 5 June 1806) was a French painter, who was born at Paris. He became an artist against his father's wishes, becoming a pupil at the age of twelve of Charles-André van Loo. Making rapid progress, he obtained at twenty the Grand Prix de Rome, and in 1748 set out for Rome. He studied the works of Annibale Carracci, Pietro Berrettini da Cortona, Giulio Romano and Michelangelo, then visited Naples, Bologna and, crucially, Venice. While in the latter city Doyen was… Read more...