François de Troy

François de Troy
François de Troy by his student Alexis Simon Belle
Born	François de Troy 9 January 1645 Toulouse, France
Died	21 November 1730 Paris
Nationality	French
Known for	Painter
Patron(s)	Courts of James II of England and James Francis Edward Stuart in exile, French court

François de Troy (9 January 1645 – 21 November 1730) was a French painter and engraver who became principal painter to King James II in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Director of the Académie Royale de peinture et de sculpture.

One of a family of artists, Troy was born in Toulouse, the son of Antoine Troy (28 July 1608 (baptised) - 15 September 1684), a painter in that city, and Astrugue Bordes. François Troy and was the brother of the painter Jean de Troy (4 April 1638 - 25 June 1691). Troy was taught the basic skills of painting by his father, and perhaps also by the more worldly Antoine Durand.

François de Troy is not to be confused with his son, the portrait painter Jean-François de Troy (1679–1752), who studied under him.

At some time after 1662, Troy went to Paris to study portrait painting under Claude Lefèbvre (1633–1675) and Nicolas-Pierre Loir (1624–1679]. A. P. F. Robert-Dumesnil states that this occurred when Troy was aged twenty-four.

In 1669, Troy married his master Nicolas-Pierre Loir's sister-in-law, Jeanne Cotelle.

In 1671, he was approved (agréé) by the Académie Royale de peinture et de sculpture. In 1674, he was received into the Academy as a history painter, with a reception piece (morceau de réception) entitled Mercure coupant la tête d'Argus ('Mercury cutting off the head of Argus').

Troy's early known works include tapestry designs for Madame de Montespan, one of the many mistresses of Louis XIV of France, and paintings with religious and mythological subjects.