Nicolas-Antoine Taunay. Nicolas-Antoine Taunay was a French painter known best for his landscapes with scenes from ancient and modern history, mythology, and religion.
   He was a member of the prominent Taunay family of artists, which included his father, brother, and son, who were all painters as well. He created several large-scale historical paintings, often depicting events from French history.
   Some of his notable works in this genre include The Death of General Desaix and The Oath of the Tennis Court. Taunay was an accomplished portrait painter, creating likenesses of prominent figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte, King Louis XVIII, and other members of the French aristocracy.
   Although less known for his landscapes, Taunay produced several notable works in this genre, often inspired by his travels to Brazil, where he served as the official court painter to King John VI of Portugal. His painting A View of the Botanical Garden in Rio de Janeiro sold for $137,500 at a Sotheby's auction in 2013.
   He was born in Paris, France, in 1755. His father was an enamel painter. Taunay entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris at the age of fifteen and became a pupil of Nicolas-Bernard Lepicié. He later studied in the studios of Nicolas-Guy Brenet and Francesco Giuseppe Casanova. He specialized in painting landscapes. Taunay first exhibited his work at the Jeunesse and Salon de la Correspondance. In 1784 he was admi
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