Georges de La Tour

Georges de La Tour was the 17th century’s master of light and shadow, so much so that he’s often called the French Caravaggio. He was wildly successful in his day, painting for King Louis XIII, who, as rumor has it, was so enamored with one of his pieces that he cleared an entire room to hang it solo. Despite his fame, whispers among his neighbors suggested he was arrogant and unpopular, perhaps from spending too much time in dramatically lit, contemplative silence. De La Tour’s work often features serene, candlelit scenes with a stillness that feels almost modern. Ironically, after his death in 1652, this master of illumination faded into obscurity for centuries. His paintings were often misattributed until a German art historian began to rediscover his work in the early 20th century. So, for a time, the man who so brilliantly captured light was himself lost in the shadows.