Chronology of Mariette's life
 

Born at 7 mai 1694 , Pierre-Jean Mariette is the only son of Jean Mariette and Claude Geneviève Coignard. Pierre-Jean is the heiress of a publisher and bookseller family settled on Saint-Jacques street in Paris, whose renown is already high in Europe.

Pierre-Jean Mariette, like his father, learnt drawing and engraving beside Jean Chaufurier where as his spiritual training was in the hands of the Jesuits. Around his twenties, Mariette became friendly with Count Caylus, with whom he approfondira ses connaissances archéologiques.

In 1717, his(her) father sends him(it) with Prince Eugène de Savoie, in Vienna. He(it) is then in charge of(is then loaded with) by this big amateur of prints, books(pounds) and objects of art, the classification of his(its) collection of engravings. He(it) works in the princely library during two years, then part for Italy, preceded by letters of recommendation of the Prince.

 

This first one travels in Italy from 1719 till 1720 shows itself very formative. He(it) discovers it the work of the biggest scholars and the Italian collectors of time(period): Anton Maria Zanetti, Lamberto Gori, Giovanni Bottari... It is during this tour(ballot) that he buys the first drawings of Italian great masters for his personal collection. The previous history are there prestigious ( Vasari).

On returning to Paris in 1720, Mariette goes(surrenders) frequently to Pierre Crozat's place of residence to attend assemblies gathering(combining) the count of Caylus, Jean de Julienne, Antoine Watteau and the good of the other characters of the world of the art. It is the occasion for Mariette to perfect her knowledge. During this period, he(it) maintains a regular correspondence with the historians and the collectors met in Italy.

From 1720 till 1750, Pierre-Jean Mariette continues his bookseller - publisher's activity. A vast knowledge of the history(story) of the engraving and certain interest for this art incites him(it) to annotate its copy dated 1719 of the Book Abecedario Pittorico of the Father Orlandi, published in 1704. His(Her,Its) handwritten notes are named Abécédario of the FBI Mariette today. Those this were partially published by the Marquis de Chennevières and Mister de Montaiglon of 1851 in 1862 under the title Abécédario of the FBI Mariette and the other new notes of this amateur. They are an appearance(mine) of serious and precise information on the history(story) of the arts and their evolution. At the same time, he(it) publishes articles, papers on the art and sometimes answers the debates of time(period), the most famous having given place to the quarrel onto the role of antique Greece on the Roman civilization with Giovanni Piranese. In 1726, he writes a letter on Léonard, published(edited) in 1730, as foreword to the Collection of Testes of Character and Loads(Responsibilities) drawn by Léonard de Vinci Florentine and engraved(burnt) by Mr. le C. ( omte ) of C. ( aylus ). These drawings of Vinci belonged to the collection of the father of Mariette, Jean.

In 1741, he(it) realizes the catalog of the sale after death(deaths) of Crozat, work which illustrates perfectly the rigour and the method of work of Mariette. This last one served as reference to his(her) contemporaries. In 1744, he(it) drafts in the same vein the Collection of Prints according to paintings(boards) to Aix in Mr Boyer's cabinet(office) of Needles. Finally, by 1747, he(it) plunges into his(its) Treaty of Gems, which he(it) considers as the first chapter of his(its) History(Story) of the Engraving. He(it) seemed in 1750 in two volumes illustrated with Edme Bouchardon's drawings.

In 1750, Mariette retires from business by selling her printing office to Louis-François Delatour. He(it) dedicates itself from then on to his(its) searches(researches) and to his(its) collection. Mariette had inherited from rich set(group) prints formed by his(her,its) grandfather and father, whom he will complete by number of drawings.

Pierre-Jean Mariette dies on September 10th, 1774, street Saint Jacques in his Parisian place of residence. His(her,its) amateur's qualities had been recognized in his lifetime, from 1733, as member(limb) of the Academy(Regional education authority) of the Drawing of Florence thanks to its friend Gaburri, then President of the Academy(Regional education authority). In France, in 1750, he(it) is received " as free partner " to the Royal Academy(Regional education authority) of Paint(Painting) and Sculpture of Paris and becomes in 1767 one of the first not aristocrats to receive from it.

 

 

  Son oeuvre

 

Recherches sur l'Abécédario en cours...

 

© association mariette pour la promotion du dessin français - association loi 1901

janvier 2008