Personalities Lebas (Le Bas), Jacques-Philippe

Engraver and publisher of prints. At the age of 15, he was a student of the engraver Antoine Hérisset (1685-1769). Then he took lessons from Nicolas Henri Tardieu. Under the influence of the latter and the works of Gerard Audran, his own style was formed. In 1743 he was admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Since 1771, he has been an adviser of the Academy. In 1782, he received from Louis XVI the title of engraver of the King's Cabinet. He worked on the originals of D. Teniers the Younger, G. P. Pannini, C. van Poelenburgh, C. Parrocel, P. Wouwerman, J. B. Oudry, N. Lancret, and others. A whole generation of engravers emerged from his workshop, making the 18th century the golden age of French engraving. He is credited with more than 500 engravings, made both by himself and in collaboration with his students.