Philippe de Champaigne

Philippe de Champaigne's paintings combine precise likeness with carefully controlled gesture and composition. His portraits of Cardinal Richelieu connect dress, pose, and setting with the public role of the sitter. Religious pictures, including the Annunciation and the Dream of Saint Joseph, use a similarly clear arrangement to present sacred events. His Flemish origins and work for French patrons bring together different traditions of observation, figure painting, and devotional purpose.