# Georges de La Tour

> Lorrain painter (1593–1652)

**Wikidata**: [Q203371](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q203371)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_de_La_Tour)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/georges-de-la-tour

## Summary
Georges de La Tour was a French painter from the Duchy of Lorraine (1593–1652), known as a Caravaggist who created dramatic religious and genre paintings characterized by chiaroscuro and realistic depictions.

## Biography
- Born: 1593-03-13 (March 13, 1593)
- Nationality: French (citizenship: Q155019)
- Education: Not explicitly mentioned in source material
- Known for: Creating dramatic religious and genre paintings characterized by chiaroscuro and realistic depictions
- Employer(s): Not explicitly mentioned as an employee, but associated with the Duchy of Lorraine and possibly patrons
- Field(s): Painting, specifically religious and genre painting

## Contributions
- The Dream of Saint Joseph (inception: +1700-00-00T00:00:00Z) - painting in Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes
- Joseph the Carpenter (+1642-00-00T00:00:00Z) - religious painting
- The Newborn (+1645-00-00T00:00:00Z) - painting in Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes
- The Hurdy-gurdy Player or The Hurdy-gurdy Player With A Fly (+1631-01-01T00:00:00Z)
- The Adoration of the Shepherds (+1645-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- The Fortune Teller (+1630-01-01T00:00:00Z)
- Woman Catching Fleas (+1635-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- The Musicians' Brawl (+1620-01-01T00:00:00Z)
- Joseph the Carpenter (+1642-00-00T00:00:00Z) - repeated entry
- The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds (+1635-01-01T00:00:00Z)
- The Repentant Magdalen (+1637-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- The Penitent Magdalen (+1625-00-00T00:00:00Z, +1640-00-00T00:00:00Z) - two versions
- Magdalene with the Smoking Flame (+1642-01-01T00:00:00Z)
- Job Mocked by his Wife (+1620-00-00T00:00:00Z)
- Saint Sebastian Attended by Saint Irene (+1649-01-01T00:00:00Z) - in the Louvre

## FAQs
- **What is Georges de La Tour's nationality?** He was French, though born in the Duchy of Lorraine.
- **What style did he paint in?** He was a Caravaggist, known for chiaroscuro and realistic depictions.
- **When did he create his most famous works?** His works span from 1620 to 1652, with notable pieces like "The Fortune Teller" (1630) and "The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds" (1635).
- **Where are his paintings located?** Some works are in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, while others are in major European museums like the Louvre.

## Why They Matter
Georges de La Tour played a significant role in the development of Baroque art through his adoption of Caravaggio's techniques. His works helped spread the Caravaggist style across Europe, influencing later artists and establishing the dramatic use of light and shadow as a defining characteristic of the period. Without his contributions, the evolution of Baroque painting might have taken a different path, potentially lacking the emotional intensity and realistic approach that became hallmarks of the movement.

## Notable For
- Pioneered the Caravaggist style in France
- Created realistic depictions of biblical scenes
- Produced genre paintings that elevated everyday life to high art
- Developed dramatic chiaroscuro techniques
- Influenced the Caravaggisti movement
- Works held in major museums including the Louvre and Musée des Beaux-Arts

## Body
### Early Life and Training
Georges de La Tour was born on March 13, 1593, in the Duchy of Lorraine. The exact details of his early training are not fully documented in the source material, though he is recognized as a painter from this region.

### Career and Style
De La Tour is identified as a Caravaggist, meaning he was influenced by the revolutionary techniques of Italian painter Caravaggio. His works demonstrate the characteristic use of chiaroscuro - the strong contrast between light and dark - and realistic depictions of religious subjects. This approach brought a dramatic intensity to his paintings, making biblical scenes appear more immediate and emotionally resonant.

### Major Works
De La Tour created a substantial body of work across multiple genres. His religious paintings include:
- **Joseph the Carpenter** (1642), depicting the biblical figure in a realistic setting
- **The Newborn** (1645), showing a infant in a domestic scene
- **Saint Sebastian Attended by Saint Irene** (1649), housed in the Louvre

His genre paintings provide insight into everyday life of the period:
- **The Hurdy-gurdy Player** (1631), capturing a street musician
- **The Fortune Teller** (1630), showing a common street scene
- **Woman Catching Fleas** (1635), a domestic interior scene
- **The Musicians' Brawl** (1620), depicting a conflict among musicians
- **The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds** (1635), a card game scene
- **The Repentant Magdalen** (1637) and **The Penitent Magdalen** (1625/1640), both depicting the biblical figure in moments of contemplation
- **Magdalene with the Smoking Flame** (1642), showing the saint with a symbolic element
- **Job Mocked by his Wife** (1620), from the Book of Job

### Influence and Legacy
As a Caravaggist, de La Tour contributed to the spread of Caravaggio's revolutionary style across Europe. His works helped establish the dramatic use of light and shadow as a defining characteristic of Baroque art. The influence of his technique can be seen in the works of later artists who followed the Caravaggist tradition.

### Specific Works and Context
Several of his paintings are documented with specific dates and locations:
- **The Dream of Saint Joseph** (inception: 1700) is housed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes
- **The Adoration of the Shepherds** (1645) is another religious work from his later period
- **The Hurdy-gurdy Player** (1631) represents his early genre works
- **The Fortune Teller** (1630) is one of his most famous genre paintings

These works collectively demonstrate his mastery of both religious and secular subjects, maintaining the dramatic intensity characteristic of the Caravaggist movement while adapting it to French artistic traditions.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
3. Georges de La Tour (1593-1652). BnF authorities
4. de La Tour, Georges (1593 - 1653) [sv] - KulturNav. KulturNav. 2016
5. The Fine Art Archive
6. Union List of Artist Names
7. Ontdek schilder Georges de Latour. RKDartists
8. Japan Search
9. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology
10. CiNii Research
11. National Gallery of Art - Collection
12. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
13. RKDartists
14. Georges de La Tour. Benezit Dictionary of Artists
15. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
16. SNAC
17. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
18. Roglo
19. AlKindi
20. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
21. Virtual International Authority File
22. [ULAN Full Record Display (Getty Research)](http://www.getty.edu/vow/ULANFullDisplay?find=Georges+de+La+Tour&role=&nation=&prev_page=1&subjectid=500012114)
23. Discover painter Georges de Latour. RKDartists
24. [Source](http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/495/georges-de-la-tour-french-1593-1652/)
25. artist list of the National Museum of Sweden. 2016
26. [Primo by Ex Libris - La Tour Georges de](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=La%20Tour%20Georges%20de)
27. KulturNav. 2016
28. LIBRIS. 2012
29. [Works – Georges de La Tour – Artists – collections.frick.org](https://collections.frick.org/people/260/georges-de-la-tour/objects)
30. Georges de La Tour | The Penitent Magdalen. Metropolitan Museum of Art
31. [Source](https://www.fine-arts-museum.be/nl/de-collectie/artist/de-la-tour-georges-1)
32. [Source](https://library.si.edu/art-and-artist-files)
33. [Source](https://library.nga.gov/permalink/01NGA_INST/1cl1g8d/alma99834063504896)