Jean Petitot

The two friends, dissatisfied with the progress they made in Geneva, went into France, and after working for a while with Toutin went to England with letters of introduction to Turquet de Mayerne, physician to Charles I, who presented them to the king, for whom they made a St George for the badge of the order and carried out many commissions for portraits; amongst others preparing two large ones representing Rachel de Ruvigny, countess of Southampton, now at Chatsworth, and Mary Villiers, duchess of Richmond and Lennox, dated 1643, at one time in the possession of the Crown and now in the Pierpont Morgan collection.

The two painters were given apartments in the Louvre, received numerous commissions from Louis XIV, and painted portraits of almost every person of importance in his brilliant court.

The king protected him as long as possible, and when he was arrested, with his niece, Anne Bordier, sent Bossuet, who was bishop of Meaux, to convince the old man of the error of his ways.

In Pierpont Morgan's collection there were many fine examples, including three drawings on paper, the only three which appear to have survived, and the large signed miniature of the duchess of Richmond already mentioned, the largest work Petitot ever did other than one Chatsworth House.

He had seventeen children, among them Jean Louis Petitot, and for their benefit wrote out a little octavo volume containing some genealogical information, portraits of himself and his wife, with prayers, meditations and religious advice.