POËRSON, Charles
French painter. He was a pupil of Simon Vouet, himself a highly accomplished designer of tapestries, and spent roughly five years in his studio. Poerson adopted a number of elements of the older artist’s work, such as his contrapposto figures, sense of drama and movement and the play of drapery. Unfortunately many of Poerson’s creations no longer survive although records state he worked on a number of important commissions with Vouet as well as independently. He received numerous commissions for religious pictures and tapestry designs from the churches and religious establishments of Paris and the surrounding region. He also contributed to projects for Anne of Austria, Queen of France (1601-1666) and her son, Louis XIV (1638-1715).
Poerson’s most important works were his cartoons for tapestries of the Life of the Virgin in Strasbourg Cathedral. His designs were to enjoy considerable success in Brussels tapestry production during the last third of the seventeenth century and were highly influential on the next generation of Brussels cartoonists.
