Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 11 works by François Perrier in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, François Perrier's most famous painting is Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine (1625). The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1625) and Acis and Galathea (1627) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 11 works by François Perrier in our catalog, the gallery presents the 11 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist François Perrier. The work was executed during the second quarter of the seventeenth century, specifically about 1647 to 1650. The composition depicts a scene inspired by the mythological narratives found in Ovid's Metamorphoses.
The scene unfolds within a classical architectural setting, where deep shadows define the boundaries of the space. A muscular executioner occupies the left side of the frame, his body angled in a downward diagonal movement toward the center. He holds a blade, positioned to strike the kneeling figure of Saint John the Baptist. The saint is depicted with pale skin, his posture slumped in a manner that suggests heavy, tragic…
Acis and Galathea, painted by François Perrier in 1627, draws its narrative from the traditions of Greek mythology. The composition centers on the relationship between the mortal Acis and the Nereid Galathea. These figures inhabit a seascape, a setting central to the mythological cycle involving the sea-nymph and her lover.
A massive, muscular figure anchors the scene, seated upon a craggy, ochre-colored ledge. This is Polyphemus, the Cyclops, his skin pale against the dark, shadowed crevices of the rocks. He holds a panpipe to his lips, his expression caught between deep concentration and a heavy, lingering melancholy. Around his feet, the sea churns in white foam, a turbulent contrast to the stillness of his posture. The water rises to meet…
In this 1642 oil on canvas, we find ourselves witnessing a moment of profound tension and sudden relief. The scene captures the biblical narrative of Moses striking a rock to provide water for his people, a moment where the physical desperation of the crowd meets the spiritual authority of their leader. On the left, a massive, dark rocky overhang dominates the composition, its heavy, textured surface acting as a rugged…
In Adoration of the Golden Calf, François Perrier organizes a vast landscape to frame this biblical scene of idolatry. The composition is expansive, guiding the viewer through a space that transitions from dense, dark foliage on the left toward an open, mountainous vista on the right. This movement creates a sense of rhythmic chaos, mirroring the themes of temptation and pagan ritual. The perspective draws the eye from the detailed…
In this 1646 oil painting, a scene from classical mythology unfolds through a dynamic arrangement of figures set against a mountainous landscape. The composition directs the eye from a dense group of soldiers on the left toward a central figure in golden Roman-style armor. This noble man gestures toward a ritual site, his form illuminated by a strong, directional light. To the far right, a female figure draped in white…
The oil on canvas titled Bacchus and Ariadne was executed by the French artist François Perrier. This work emerged from his brush circa 1647-50. It captures a moment of divine intersection through the medium of oil, where pigment meets the woven texture of the canvas to define the figures of the god and the princess.
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is an oil on canvas work by the French artist François Perrier. Completed in 1632, the painting belongs to the Baroque movement. It represents a significant contribution to the seventeenth-century French artistic landscape, reflecting the stylistic shifts occurring in Parisian ateliers during this period.
The canvas captures a moment of violent upheaval as Aeneas and his followers confront the Harpies. Set against the backdrop of a classical structure, the scene is crowded with figures caught in a state of kinetic tension. A central figure, armored and wielding both sword and shield, leads the struggle against the winged creatures. The composition is dense, populated by at least thirteen individuals whose movements range from active combat…
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 7 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by François Perrier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Capitoline Museums |
Rome | 2 | Moses draws water from the Rock, Adoration of the Golden Calf |
 The Louvre |
Paris | 2 | Aeneas and his Companions Fighting the Harpies, Acis, Galatea, and Polyphemus |
 Kedleston Hall |
1 | The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist | |
 Statens Museum For Kunst |
Copenhagen | 1 | Acis and Galathea |
 National Museum in Warsaw |
Warsaw | 1 | Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl. |
 Blanton Museum of Art |
1 | Bacchus and Ariadne | |
 Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon |
Digione | 1 | The Sacrifice of Iphigenia |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist François Perrier. The work was executed during the second quarter of the seventeenth century, specifically about 1647 to 1650. The composition depicts a scene inspired by the mythological narratives found in Ovid's Metamorphoses.
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia is an oil on canvas work by the French artist François Perrier. Completed in 1632, the painting belongs to the Baroque movement. It represents a significant contribution to the seventeenth-century French artistic landscape, reflecting the stylistic shifts occurring in Parisian ateliers during this period.
A massive, muscular figure anchors the scene, seated upon a craggy, ochre-colored ledge. This is Polyphemus, the Cyclops, his skin pale against the dark, shadowed crevices of the rocks. He holds a panpipe to his lips, his expression caught between deep concentration and a heavy, lingering melancholy. Around his feet, the sea churns in white foam, a turbulent contrast to the stillness of his posture. The water rises to meet…
Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine (1625). The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (1625) and Acis and Galathea (1627) come next.
31 years old: Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine dates from 1625, and François Perrier was born in 1594.
Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, Acis and Galathea, Polyphemus and the Sea Nymphs, Moses draws water from the Rock, Adoration of the Golden Calf, Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl., Bacchus and Ariadne, The Sacrifice of Iphigenia and Aeneas and his Companions Fighting the Harpies. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 11 works by François Perrier, dated from 1625 to 1648.
Mostly in Capitoline Museums (Rome), The Louvre (Paris) and Kedleston Hall. The museum table above lists them all.
In 1640s: 7 of the 11 works on this page were made then, Polyphemus and the Sea Nymphs among them.
On this page, the earliest is Orpheus before Pluto and Proserpine (1625) and the latest Bacchus and Ariadne (1648).
Woman (6), Man (5) and Sky (5), across the 11 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 8 of the 11 works on this page.
Moses draws water from the Rock and Adoration of the Golden Calf: the Capitoline Museums, Rome holds 2 of the works on this page.
