Ask for the famous artists of Opera House and you will hear of Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Charles Le Brun, Antoine-Jean Gros and Hyacinthe Rigaud.
Below, the 25 best-known of the 271 artists with works of Opera House in our catalogue (536 works), each with what the museum holds of them.
The masters of the originals
The 10 masters whose originals hang in Opera House
For each master: where and when they were born, their movement, how many originals the museum keeps in our catalogue, a note from their life, and the originals to see.
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Neoclassicism
1. Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun 1755–1842
1755–1842 Born in Paris, France Neoclassicism 9 originals at Opera House
French Rococo portraitist famed for capturing the grace of Marie Antoinette and the elite nobility in soft, luminous oil and pastel tones. The household is one of art and observation.
Originals at Opera House
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Baroque
2. Charles Le Brun 1619–1690
1619–1690 Born in Paris, France Baroque 3 originals at Opera House
Paris, France (1619) Baptised: 24 February 1619 Died: 12 February 1690 Paris, Kingdom of France Charles Le Brun displayed artistic talent from a young age. A pivotal period in his development was a four-year stay in Rome (1642-1646), where he worked under the guidance of Nicolas Poussin. During this time, Le Brun studied ancient Roman sculpture and copied works by Raphael, absorbing influences from both classical antiquity and contemporary Italian masters.
Originals at Opera House
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Neoclassicism
3. Antoine-Jean Gros 1771–1835
1771–1835 Born in Paris, France Neoclassicism 10 originals at Opera House
French painter bridging Neoclassicism and Romanticism through dramatic Napoleonic battle scenes and emotive, colorful portraiture. Born in Paris in 1771, his artistic destiny seemed preordained.
Originals at Opera House
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Baroque
4. Hyacinthe Rigaud 1659–1743
1659–1743 Born in Perpignan, France Baroque 6 originals at Opera House
Born on July 18, 1659, in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales, France, Rigaud’s family had artistic roots – his grandfather was a painter-gilder. Initially trained as a tailor in his father's workshop, he soon discovered his passion for painting. In 1675, he moved to Lyon, where he encountered the works of Flemish, Dutch, and Italian masters.
Originals at Opera House
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Neoclassicism
5. Anne-Louis Girodet 1767–1824
1767–1824 Born in Montargis, France Neoclassicism 2 originals at Opera House
French painter bridging Neoclassicism and Romanticism with dramatic, sensual scenes and atmospheric, theatrical lighting. However, it was perhaps Pygmalion et Galatée, an ambitious project consuming eight years of his life, that most fully exemplifies Girodet’s artistic vision.
Originals at Opera House
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Academic Art
6. Franz Xaver Winterhalter 1805–1873
1805–1873 Born in Menzenschwand, Germany Academic Art 11 originals at Opera House
The household is one of practical labor, yet the creative impulse runs deep within the family. Winterhalter enters the inner circles of the aristocracy when he is appointed drawing master to Sophie, Margravine of Baden, at Karlsruhe.
Originals at Opera House
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Romanticism
7. Horace Vernet 1789–1863
1789–1863 Born in Paris, France Romanticism 5 originals at Opera House
Vernet’s talent and reputation led to his appointment as director of the French Academy in Rome from 1829 to 1835. King Louis-Philippe became a prolific patron of Vernet, commissioning him to decorate the entire Constantine room at the Palace of Versailles within three years. After the Revolution of 1848, Napoléon III also became a supporter, continuing Vernet’s commissions during the Second Empire.
Originals at Opera House
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Rococo
8. Joseph Vernet 1714–1789
1714–1789 Born in Avignon, France Rococo 4 originals at Opera House
Claude-Joseph Vernet, born in Bordeaux in 1714, wasn’t initially destined for the grand landscapes and dramatic seascapes that would define his legacy. Vernet’s formal training began under his father, Antoine Vernet, a decorative painter, and Nicolas- Bernard Lépicié, providing him with a solid academic foundation before he ventured towards the artistic heart of Europe: Rome.
Originals at Opera House
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Baroque
9. Pierre Mignard I 1612–1695
1612–1695 Born in Troyes, France Baroque 3 originals at Opera House
Pierre Mignard, born in Troyes, France, in 1612, was a pivotal figure in the French Baroque painting scene, though often overshadowed by his contemporary and rival, Charles Le Brun. Around 1657, Mignard returned to Paris, summoned by Cardinal Mazarin, marking his entry into the competitive world of French court painting.
Originals at Opera House
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Neoclassicism
10. François Gérard 1770–1837
1770–1837 Born in Rome, Italy Neoclassicism 17 originals at Opera House
Born into a family of modest means, he initially supported himself through printmaking and engraving, skills honed during his apprenticeship with Jean de Jullienne, a prominent publisher and dealer in prints. Simultaneously, he studied the landscapes of Dutch masters, appreciating their meticulous detail and atmospheric effects – influences which would later manifest in his own pastoral scenes.
Originals at Opera House
The masters, continued
No. 11 to No. 25: more masters of Opera House
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French Rococo portraitist who transformed aristocratic ladies into mythological goddesses through graceful, allegorical compositions.
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12. Joseph Siffred Duplessis
Neoclassicism
1725–1802 · born in Carpentras, France · 3 originals at Opera House
French portraitist blending Rococo grace with Neoclassical restraint in intimate studies of figures like Benjamin Franklin and Louis XVI.
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French Baroque portraitist of the Parisian elite, known for meticulous textures and sitters posed against Doric columns or holding letters.
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14. Alexander Roslin
Rococo
1718–1793 · born in Malmö Sankt Petri församling, Sweden · 4 originals at Opera House
Swedish Rococo portraitist famed for rendering sumptuous silks and psychological depth in Paris.
- Hyacinthe Collin de Vermont (1753)
- François Boucher (1703-1770) (1760)
- Madame Joseph-Marie Vien (1757)
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- Fox and stork (1747)
- The View (1749)
- Hearing (1749)
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French Romantic painter of dramatic historical scenes and portraits, known for teaching over one hundred notable artists at the École des Beaux-Arts.
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French Rococo portraitist of elegant royalty, known for capturing shimmering silk and status through refined brushwork and meticulous detail.
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18. Jean-Baptiste Regnault
Neoclassicism
1754–1829 · born in Paris, France · 2 originals at Opera House
French Neoclassical painter of mythological dramas and historical allegories, known for rendering the human form with a soft, ethereal glow.
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French Baroque painter and engraver known for elegant aristocratic portraits and vibrant scenes of contemporary fashion and social customs.
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20. Adam Frans van der Meulen
Baroque
1632–1690 · born in Brussels, Belgium · 5 originals at Opera House
Flemish Baroque painter of dynamic battle scenes and equestrian portraits, known for crafting the grand visual narrative of Louis XIV's conquests.
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French Rococo painter of elegant mythological scenes and royal portraits who served as First Painter to King Louis XV.
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- Zéphyr et Flore
- Jean Jouvenet (1700)
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24. Francois Auguste Biard
Romanticism
1799–1882 · born in Lyon, France · 4 originals at Opera House
French painter of adventurous travels, from Arctic Sami camps to maritime battles and early depictions of indigenous people in Brazil.
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25. Guillaume Guillon Lethiere
Neoclassicism
1760–1832 · born in Sainte-Anne, France · 4 originals at Opera House
French Neoclassical painter of historical and mythological scenes, known for precise draftsmanship and a legacy of mentoring many great artists.
Famous artists in Opera House, No. 26 to 50
Auguste Couder1789–1873 · 3 originals at Opera House
Noël Coypel1628–1707 · 7 originals at Opera House
Charles Antoine Coypel1694–1752 · 3 originals at Opera House
François Hubert Drouais1727–1775 · 7 originals at Opera House
Antoine François Callet1741–1823 · 3 originals at Opera House
Jean Baptiste Marie Pierre1714–1789 · 3 originals at Opera House
Théodore Gudin1802–1880 · 3 originals at Opera House
Charles de La Fosse1636–1716 · 3 originals at Opera House
Jean-Baptiste van Loo1684–1745 · 2 originals at Opera House
Georges Rouget1783–1869 · 5 originals at Opera House
Jacques Courtois1621–1676 · 2 originals at Opera House
Jean Baptiste Santerre1651–1717 · 2 originals at Opera House
Jules Jollivet1794–1871 · 2 originals at Opera House
Louis Hersent1777–1860 · 3 originals at Opera House
Charles Meynier1763–1832 · 3 originals at Opera House
Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux1815–1884 · 2 originals at Opera House
Nicolas Bertin1667–1736 · 2 originals at Opera House
Jean Baptiste Paulin Guérin1783–1855 · 3 originals at Opera House
Paul Émile Chabas1869–1937 · 2 originals at Opera House
Pierre L'Enfant1754–1825 · 2 originals at Opera House
Jean-Baptiste Debret1768–1848 · 2 originals at Opera House
Hortense Haudebourt Lescot1784–1845 · 3 originals at Opera House
Jean Baptiste Monnoyer1636–1699 · 2 originals at Opera House
Joseph Aved1702–1766 · 3 originals at Opera House
Nicolas-Antoine Taunay1755–1830 · 3 originals at Opera House
The house in figures
The masters of Opera House, in figures
The masters with the most originals at Opera House
Masters with two originals or more, by century of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by country of birth
Masters with two originals or more, by movement
Women masters
The women whose originals hang in Opera House
19 women masters, 29 originals, in our catalogue of Opera House.
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Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun
1755–1842 · born in Paris, France · 9 originals at Opera House
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Hortense Haudebourt Lescot
1784–1845 · born in Paris, France · 3 originals at Opera House
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Marie-Guillemine Benoist
1768–1826 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
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Adélaïde Labille-Guiard
1749–1803 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
- Marie-Adélaïde of France (1787)
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Anne Vallayer-Coster
1744–1818 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
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Marie Victoire Lemoine
1754–1820 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
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Henriette Lorimier
1775–1854 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
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Marie-Éléonore Godefroid
1778–1849 · born in Paris, France · 1 originals at Opera House
Asked of us
Questions on the masters of Opera House
Open a question to read the answer.
Which artist in Opera House is the most famous?
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, with 9 works at Opera House in our catalogue (Marie-Antoinette Lorrraine Habsburg, Portrait of Marie Joséphine of Savoy (1753-1810) and COMTESSE LOUIS PHILIPPE DE SEGUR (1756 1828)); then Charles Le Brun and Antoine-Jean Gros.
How many Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun paintings are in Opera House?
9 works by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun at Opera House are in our catalogue: Marie-Antoinette Lorrraine Habsburg, Portrait of Marie Joséphine of Savoy (1753-1810) (1782), COMTESSE LOUIS PHILIPPE DE SEGUR (1756 1828) and GIOVANNI PAISIELLO (1741 1816) among them.
What did Charles Le Brun paint that hangs in Opera House?
3 works by Charles Le Brun at Opera House are in our catalogue: The Fall of the Rebel Angels (1650) and Presumed Portrait of the Artist Presenting That of a Military Officer (1650) among them.
Which Antoine-Jean Gros works are in Opera House?
10 works by Antoine-Jean Gros at Opera House are in our catalogue: LE GENERAL BONAPARTE AU PONT D'ARCOLE.17 NOVEMBRE 1796, Allegory of the first French Republic (1794), The King Presenting the Charles X Museum to the Arts (1827) and Louis XVIII en costume de sacre among them.
Which ten artists should I look for in Opera House?
The ten best-known artists with works in Opera House are Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (9), Charles Le Brun (3), Antoine-Jean Gros (10), Hyacinthe Rigaud (6), Anne-Louis Girodet (2), Franz Xaver Winterhalter (11), Horace Vernet (5), Joseph Vernet (4), Pierre Mignard I (3) and François Gérard (17).
Which artist has the most works in Opera House?
François Gérard (1770–1837), with 17 works in our catalogue of Opera House, ahead of René Antoine Houasse (13), Franz Xaver Winterhalter (11) and Jean-Baptiste Oudry (11).
Does Opera House have any Leonardo da Vinci paintings?
No: Opera House holds no work by Leonardo da Vinci in our catalogue.
Does Opera House have any Pablo Picasso paintings?
No: Opera House holds no work by Pablo Picasso in our catalogue.
Which women artists are in Opera House?
Our catalogue lists 19 women artists with works at Opera House: Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (9), Hortense Haudebourt Lescot (3), Marie-Guillemine Benoist (1), Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (1), Anne Vallayer-Coster (1) and Marie Victoire Lemoine (1).
Where do the artists of Opera House come from?
By country of birth, the artists with two works or more at Opera House are mostly from France (89), Belgium (4), United Kingdom (2), Germany (1) and Italy (1).
Which centuries do the painters of Opera House belong to?
The 18th century leads with 52 artists born then. In this ranking, Pierre Mignard I (1612–1695) is the earliest born and Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805–1873) the latest.
How many artists have works in Opera House?
Our catalogue lists 271 artists with at least one work at Opera House, 103 of them with two or more, born between 1570 and 1869 in 6 countries.
The house
Opera House, Versailles, in a few lines
A Symphony of Stone and Spirit: the Royal Opera of Versailles
The architecture of the Royal Opera is a masterclass in the delicate balance between structural strength and decorative opulence. Every curve of the gilded moldings and every flourish of the carved woodwork was intended to reflect the divine right of the monarchy, creating an atmosphere of overwhelming splendor.
A Living Monument of Performance and Prestige
The essence of the opera house is found in its sensory impact. While it may not house a static gallery of canvases, the Royal Opera functions as a living museum of performance and prestige. One can almost hear the phantom melodies of Lully or Rameau drifting through the tiers of boxes. The spatial arrangement, with its intimate yet commanding presence, was designed to facilitate a specific social choreography, where seeing and being seen were as vital as the music being performed. What truly distinguishes the Royal Opera of Versailles from any other performing arts venue in the world is its role as a bridge between the monumental and the intimate.
The famous originals of Opera HouseOpera House: the full page, 557 originalsThe museums of Versailles
How the masters of the originals are ranked
The masters with two originals or more of Opera House in our catalogue are ranked by fame: the Wikipedia language editions that describe them, the visits to their OriginalUniqueArt.com page and our studio's ranking. Originals are counted in our catalogue — one entry per work, without details, studies or copies — not in the museum's inventory. Every date, birthplace and movement is the catalogue's; the notes are drawn from the master's biography.
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