Nicolas-Antoine Taunay (10 February 1755 – 20 March 1830) was a French painter known best for his landscapes with scenes from ancient and modern history, mythology, and religion.

Taunay entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the age of fifteen and became a pupil of Nicolas-Bernard Lepicié.

[1] After the fall of Napoleon, Taunay moved to Brazil as a member of the Missão Artística Francesa (French Artistic Mission), funded by King John VI of Portugal.

These included the painter Jean-Baptiste Debret, Nicolas's brother the sculptor Auguste Marie Taunay, the engraver Charles-Simon Pradier and the architect Auguste-Henri-Victor Grandjean de Montigny.

[3] Nicolas-Antoine Taunay became a member of the Royal School of Sciences, Arts and Trades, later to become the Imperial Academy of Beaux-Arts, as professor of landscape painting.

[6] Although his main interest was historical landscape painting, Nicolas-Antoine Taunay was also a skilled painter of portraits and battle scenes.