VLEUGHELS, Nicolas

French painter of Flemish origin. He trained with his father Philippe Vleughels (1620-94), a Flemish painter who had moved to Paris in 1642; he was also a pupil of Pierre Mignard I. In 1694 he came second in the Prix de Rome competition with Lot and his Daughters Leaving Sodom (untraced); despite repeated attempts, he failed to win the first prize. He became a close friend of Watteau and was, like him, greatly influenced by Flemish painting, notably that of Rubens.

In 1704 Vleughels travelled to Italy at his own expense. From his base in Rome he made trips to Venice (1707-09) and Modena (1712-14) and was much influenced by the work of the Venetian colourists, particularly Veronese, whose works he copied (drawings in the Musée du Louvre, Paris). In 1716, back in Paris, he was approved (agréé) by the Académie Royale and in the same year was received (reçu) on presentation of Apelles Painting Campaspe (Musée du Louvre, Paris) as his morceau de réception. The influence of Veronese can be seen in the preparatory studies in oil and pastel for his paintings of this period, such as the Studies of a Woman’s Legs (Musée du Louvre, Paris) for the figure of Campaspe. His close relationship to Watteau’s fètes galantes can be seen in the Abduction of Helen (c. 1716; private collection).

From 1724 until his death he was director of the French Academy in Rome.