Jean de Beaumetz

The exact birthplace of Jean de Beaumetz is not known, but as he came from Aras, it is probable that he was born in either Beaumetz-les-Loges or Beaumetz-les-Cambrai from which he derived his name. He is recorded in Valenciennes in 0131 where he knew Andre Beauneveu; he went to Paris where on May 13, 1375, he entered the service of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, as court painter and was sent to Dijon. He worked on the vaulting of the Carthusian monastery at Champmol from 1384 to 1387. From 1388 to 1391 he executed paintings in Burgundy in the chapel of the Chateau at Argilly, in several rooms and oratory of the castle of Germolles, and worked on paintings for the Angel's Chapel and church of the Carthusian monastery, but none of these works survive. In 1393 Philip the Bold sent him with Claus Sluter to study the paintings and sculpture which Andre Beauneveu was working on for the Castle of Mehun-sur-Yevre for the Duc de Berry. He directed the execution of twenty-six votive pictures for the cells of the Carthusian monks at Champmol and in 1390 one of several altarpieces for the monks' chapel was erected. After 1377 he is referred to in the records as <em>valet de chambre</em> to the Duke.<br><br>As court painter to the Duke f Burgundy he had an active workshop with as many as nineteen assistants in 1388; two of the more important of these were Jehan Gentil (who was responsible for grinding the pigments) and Girard de la Chapelle. Many of the invoices for the building of the Chartreuse of Champmol, the original contracts and documents between Jean de Beaumetz and Duke Philip from the Archives of the Court of Burgundy are preserved.