Israel Silvestre

Israël Silvestre called, Israël Silvestre the Younger ( * August 13, 1621 in Nancy, † October 11th 1691 in Paris) was a French painter and engraver.

Life

Israel was the son of the eraser Israel Silvestre the elderly. He learned the basics of drawing and painting under the guidance of his father, and showed very early a great talent for art. In 1631 Silvestre lost his parents and came to his uncle Israel Henriet to Paris, which he took up as his own son. He perfected his art as a draftsman with his uncle, who took him as a student.

Later he traveled through several provinces of France, and wrote a number of books and earned his reputation as a draftsman and engraver. His journey led Silvestre also to Italy, where he studied the Old Masters. In 1662 he became court painter and engraver of the French King Louis XIV and his family lived in the Louvre.

On September 10, 1662 Israël Silvestre married in the church of Saint- Germain l'Auxerrois Henriette Sélincart († 1680), daughter of a cloth merchant from Paris. From their marriage ten children were born, of whom three sons survived to adulthood:

• Charles- François ( * 1667)
• Alexander (* 1672)
• Louis (1675-1760)