Pierre Crozat. Pierre Crozat was a French art collector at the center of a broad circle of cognoscenti; he was the brother of Antoine Crozat.
The brothers Crozat were born in Toulouse, France, the sons of modest merchants. He and his brother Antoine were opportunistic, self-made men, rising from obscurity to become two of the wealthiest merchants in France.
Pierre was known as Crozat le pauvre, to distinguish him from his even-wealthier brother. Pierre Crozat was one of the most prominent French financiers and collectors, becoming the treasurer to the king in Paris in 1704, when he built the Hôtel de Crozat on the rue de Richelieu and began gradually acquiring a notable collection of paintings, old master drawings, and objets d'art.
He was the principal patron of Antoine Watteau, who painted for his dining room, a suite of Four Seasons, and of other early Rococo artists. Pierre Crozat's collection of old master drawings was already one of the most important in France at the beginning of the 18th century.
From 1714 until the purchase was finally concluded in 1721, he worked as agent and negotiator for the Regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, on the purchase in Rome of the art collection of Queen Christina of Sweden for the Orleans Collection. Between 1729 and 1742, a finely-illustrated, two-volume work was published, known as the Cabinet Crozat, including some of the finest paintings in Frenc
The brothers Crozat were born in Toulouse, France, the sons of modest merchants. He and his brother Antoine were opportunistic, self-made men, rising from obscurity to become two of the wealthiest merchants in France.
Pierre was known as Crozat le pauvre, to distinguish him from his even-wealthier brother. Pierre Crozat was one of the most prominent French financiers and collectors, becoming the treasurer to the king in Paris in 1704, when he built the Hôtel de Crozat on the rue de Richelieu and began gradually acquiring a notable collection of paintings, old master drawings, and objets d'art.
He was the principal patron of Antoine Watteau, who painted for his dining room, a suite of Four Seasons, and of other early Rococo artists. Pierre Crozat's collection of old master drawings was already one of the most important in France at the beginning of the 18th century.
From 1714 until the purchase was finally concluded in 1721, he worked as agent and negotiator for the Regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, on the purchase in Rome of the art collection of Queen Christina of Sweden for the Orleans Collection. Between 1729 and 1742, a finely-illustrated, two-volume work was published, known as the Cabinet Crozat, including some of the finest paintings in Frenc
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