Louis Renard

Key facts

Lived

1678–1746

Movement

• Baroque

1. 1678Born in France, probably near the Dutch border. He later settled in Amsterdam, where he worked as a bookseller, publisher, and spy for the British Crown.
2. 1718Published "Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes" in Amsterdam at around the age of 40, a lavishly illustrated folio of fish and marine creatures from the Dutch East Indies. The 100 hand-coloured plates depicted species both real and fantastical.
3. 1719Active as a secret agent for the British government in Amsterdam in his early forties, gathering intelligence on Dutch politics and trade. This clandestine work ran parallel to his publishing career.
4. 1746Died in Amsterdam aged approximately 68. His fish book, long dismissed for its fanciful illustrations, has been re-evaluated as a significant document of early colonial natural history and Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity.

• What is Louis Renard known for?+

  Louis Renard is known for authoring Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes (1719). This book contained hand-coloured illustrations of marine life, and it was among the earliest European attempts to catalogue Indo-Pacific marine species.
• What is Louis Renard's most famous work?+

  Louis Renard is best known for his natural history publication, *Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l’on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes* (Fishes, Crayfishes and Crabs, of various colours and extraordinary shapes, which are found around the Molucca Islands, and on the coasts of the Southern Lands). It is a natural history book, first published in 1718 or 1719 in Amsterdam. A second edition followed in 1754. The book contains descriptions and illustrations of hundreds of fish and marine animals from the East Indies; many are fanciful. Renard claimed to have based his images on the work of others, including Samuel Fallours. Fallours was an artist employed by the Dutch East India Company. Some scholars believe many of the images were altered or invented, and that Renard's work is not entirely reliable as a scientific document. The book was popular, owing to its colourful illustrations and the public's fascination with the exotic. It provides insight into early 18th-century European perceptions of the natural world. Copies of the book are held in various collections, including the Natural History Museum in London.
• What should I know about Louis Renard's prints?+

  Louis Renard was a publisher and bookseller active in the late 17th and early 18th centuries; he is best known for his natural history publications, particularly those featuring fish and other marine life. When considering Renard's prints, it is important to understand the different types of prints and their production. Original prints, such as woodcuts or engravings, are produced by hand, with the artist creating the artwork directly on the plate. Offset reproductions, also known as posters, are reproduced by photochemical means. Giclée prints are inkjet fine art prints that are gaining popularity. Prints are often produced in limited editions, with each print numbered (for example, 35/100), indicating its place in the total edition. The artist often signs and numbers the prints in pencil. Some artists also create artist's proofs, which are marked AP after the number. The edition claim is typically written on the left bottom margin of the print, the title in the middle, and the signature on the right. These conventions, while not legally binding, are widely respected in printmaking.
• What style or movement did Louis Renard belong to?+

  Louis Renard worked during a period when artistic styles in France were undergoing considerable change. After the Renaissance, French art moved towards the Baroque, mirroring the kingdom's increasing power. This development reached its peak during the long reign of Louis XIV, who exerted considerable control over the arts. During the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Rococo style began to emerge, partly as a reaction to the more formal Grand Manner associated with Louis XIV. Rococo is particularly associated with the reign of Louis XV (1715-1774). Rococo began as a style of interior design, and is characterised by asymmetry and ornamental handling of form. Louis XV commissioned many works, particularly those related to hunting. He also oversaw the establishment of porcelain manufactories. The decorative arts, in particular, flourished during his reign.
• What techniques or materials did Louis Renard use?+

  Louis Renard (circa 1678-1746) was a bookseller, publisher, and natural history illustrator, active in Amsterdam and London. He is best known for "Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l'on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes" (1718-1719), a lavishly illustrated book of fish. Renard was not an artist himself. He employed artists and colourists to create the images for his publications. The original paintings were watercolours on vellum. The engravers who transferred these images to the printing plate are mostly unknown. Peter Sluyter and Abraham Bloteling are named in some sources. The prints were then hand-coloured, using watercolour paints. The first edition of "Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes" claimed to depict fish from the Moluccas (the Spice Islands) and Australia. However, many of the specimens were based on the work of other artists, such as Samuel Fallours, and some were entirely fictitious. Renard's publication is valued more for its decorative qualities than its scientific accuracy. Later editions included corrections and additional plates.
• What was Louis Renard known for?+

  Louis Renard (circa 1678-1746) was a Franco-Dutch publisher, bookseller, and art dealer, active in Amsterdam. While details regarding his artistic training are scarce, he is best known for his publication of natural history books, particularly those featuring marine life. Renard's most significant work is "Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l'on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes" (Fishes, Crayfishes and Crabs, of diverse colours and extraordinary shapes, that are found around the Molucca Islands and on the coasts of the Southern Lands). Published in 1718-1719, this book contained illustrations of fish and crustaceans from the East Indies; many were based on drawings provided by Samuel Fallours, an artist employed by the Dutch East India Company. The accuracy of Renard's publication has been debated by historians and zoologists. Some illustrations depict real species, while others appear to be fanciful or based on second-hand accounts. Despite questions about its scientific validity, "Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes" remains a visually striking and historically important work, providing insight into early European perceptions of the natural world.
• When did Louis Renard live and work?+

  Louis Renard (circa 1678/1679-1746) was a Berlin-born publisher, bookseller, and spy, active in the Netherlands. Details of his early life are scant. He became a Dutch citizen in 1715. Renard is best known for his publication, *Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l'on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes* (Fishes, Crayfishes, and Crabs, of diverse colours and extraordinary shapes, which are found around the Molucca Islands, and on the coasts of the Southern Lands). This lavishly illustrated book, appearing in 1718 and 1719, purported to depict the marine life of the East Indies. The work was based on drawings by Samuel Fallours, an artist employed by the Dutch East India Company. However, many of the creatures were highly imaginative, and the book is now valued more for its artistic qualities and historical context than its scientific accuracy. Renard served as a Dutch agent in London from 1719 to 1730, gathering intelligence. He returned to Amsterdam later in life, where he died in 1746.
• Where can I see Louis Renard's work?+

  It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where to view works by Louis Renard. However, many galleries and museums hold prints and drawings, which may include his work. Some places to start your search include: The Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney; Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp; Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto; Narodni Galerie, Prague; Skagens Museum, Skagen; Musée National Fernand Léger, Biot; Musée Condé, Chantilly; Musée d’Unterlinden, Colmar; Chateau de Fontainebleau; Musée Fabre, Montpellier; Musée des Beaux-Arts, Nantes; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; Centre National des Arts Plastiques, Paris; Musée Bourdelle, Paris; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris; Musée d’Orsay, Paris; Musée du Louvre, Paris; Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris; Musée National Auguste Rodin, Paris; Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris; Musée des Beaux-Arts, Quimper; Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rouen; Musée Départemental du Prieuré, Saint-Germain-en-Laye; Musée National du Chateau de Versailles; Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin; Schloss Charlottenburg, Berlin; Ludwig Roselius Sammlung, Bremen; Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne; Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden; Wilhelm-Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg; Stadelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt; Hamburger Kunsthalle; Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Kassel; Alte Pinakothek, Munich; Stiftung Schlésser und Garten Potsdam-Sanssouci, Potsdam; Staatsgalerie Stuttgart; Kunsthalle Tiibingen; Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi; Pinacoteca Nazionale, Bologna.
• Where was Louis Renard from?+

  Louis Renard (circa 1678-1746) was a bookseller, publisher, and spy, best known for his work in the field of ichthyology. He was born in France, but his family history is somewhat complex. Sources suggest he was born in either Saint-Clément or Charlieu, both within the Loire region of France. His parents were Huguenots, French Protestants. In 1686, the Edict of Nantes, which had granted religious freedoms to Protestants, was revoked. As a result, Renard’s family fled France, seeking refuge in the Dutch Republic. This relocation was part of a larger Huguenot diaspora, where many Protestants left France due to religious persecution. Renard established himself as a bookseller and publisher in Amsterdam. Later, he became a spy for England, gathering intelligence on French naval activities. His publication, *Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes, de diverses couleurs et figures extraordinaires, que l’on trouve autour des Isles Moluques, et sur les côtes des Terres Australes* (1718-1719), a book of fish illustrations, contributed to his notability.
• Who did Louis Renard influence?+

  Information about Louis Renard's influence on other artists is scarce. However, some connections can be drawn between Renard's artistic period and the broader movements of his time. Renard lived during a period of significant artistic transition, with movements such as Fauvism gaining momentum. Fauvism, characterised by intense colour and bold brushstrokes, influenced artists such as Henri Le Fauconnier. Le Fauconnier, though not part of Matisse's immediate circle, engaged with Fauvist ideas. His work, particularly his use of colour and expressive brushwork, shows the impact of Fauvism. Le Fauconnier later moved towards Cubism and Expressionism, demonstrating how artists absorbed and transformed Fauvist principles. His work, in turn, affected artists like Marc Chagall, Marcel Gromaire, Nadezhda Udaltsova, and Liubov Popova, who studied with him at the Académie de la Palette. Therefore, while direct influence is difficult to trace, Renard's association with the Fauvist movement places him within a network of artists who impacted subsequent generations.
• Who influenced Louis Renard?+

  Louis Renard found inspiration in the works of earlier masters. While copying art at the Louvre, Renoir admired the paintings of Rubens, Fragonard, Boucher, Delacroix, and Watteau. He appreciated the voluptuous figures of women in Ruben's work. He also responded to the sense of joy in paintings by Fragonard and Boucher, as well as Delacroix's paintings of oriental women and Watteau's life-size Pierrot. Beyond specific artists, Renoir's Paris surroundings also influenced him. As a child, Renoir lived near the Louvre, which had become a museum. He spent hours in its galleries. He also admired the Fontaine des Innocents, particularly the bas-reliefs by Jean Goujon. Renoir felt that Goujon's sculptures possessed a captivating quality. He also visited the Church of Saint-Eustache, finding its mixture of Gothic and Classical styles impressive. These early experiences contributed to Renoir's appreciation for asymmetry and irregularity in art.
• Who was Louis Renard?+

  Unfortunately, the provided texts do not contain information about an artist named Louis Renard. However, they do mention several significant figures and movements in the Rococo and Baroque periods. The passages discuss artists such as Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, and Antoine Watteau, figures associated with the Rococo era. They also mention the influence of Louis XIV and Louis XV on the arts, as well as the roles of individuals like Charles-François Lenormand de Tournehem and the Marquise de Pompadour in shaping artistic tastes and policies. The Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture and the Bâtiments du Roi are referenced as important institutions in the French art world during this time.