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 Patnting in France. 577 paintings. They are the four ages of man — Infancy, Youth, Manhood (Fig. 173), and Age. Jean Baptiste Joseph Pater (1696 — 1736), who was born at Valenciennes, went, when still young, to Paris, and entered the studio of Watteau, whom he copied both in subject and, as far as possible, in style. His works are somewhat scarce. Francois Boucher (1704 — 1770) was one of the most popular artists of his time, was appointed painter to the king, and acquired a great reputation, which did not long survive him. Boucher was called the "Painter of the Graces/' because, in the midst of landscapes as weak and false as the scenes at the opera, he introduced, as the shepherdesses of his be-ribboned sheep, veritable dolls, without modesty, and only fresh-looking from the vermilion of their toilette, and because they are reposing in the style of goddesses on clouds of cotton ! A Pan and Syrinx by him is in the National Gallery. Francois Desportes (1661 — 1743) was the first in France to make a special domain for himself by imitating Snyders, and he became the historiographer of the hunts of Louis XIV. It is said that he visited England, and painted sporting scenes there. Jean Baptiste van Loo (1684 — 1745), the grandson of an artist, was born at Aix in Provence. He painted in public buildings at Toulon, Turin and Borne, and was made a member of the Academy at Paris. In 1737 he paid a visit to England, and was patronized by Sir Robert Walpole, and painted many portraits of the nobility. In 1742, he returned to his native land, and there he died. Jean Baptiste Ouclry (1686 — 1755), whose genre was eha p p