Jean Clouet: A Court Painter of Renaissance France Jean Clouet, a name often associated primarily with his son François, stands as a pivotal figure in the artistic landscape of 16th-century France. Born around 1467 and tragically dying in Paris circa 1540/41, Clouet’s career unfolded within the vibrant court of King Francis I, a period marked by burgeoning humanist ideals and an intense patronage of the arts. While his early life remains somewhat shrouded in mystery – lacking extensive biographical details beyond his family lineage as Franco-Flemish painters – his impact on portraiture is un…