Nicolas Bernard Lépicié

Nicolas Bernard Lépicié (16 June 1735 – 15 September 1784) was a French painter and teacher of painting, the son of two well-known engravers at the time, François-Bernard Lépicié and Renée-Élisabeth Marlié. Lépicié was famous in his lifetime, and compared to Chardin and Greuze.

Life
Nicolas-Bernard studied with leading artists of the century including Carle Vanloo. In 1769 he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris. Three years later, in 1772, he became an assistant professor and, in 1777, a professor. He taught important names such as Carle Vernet, Jean-Frederic Schall, Jean-Antoine-Théodore Giroust, Jean-Joseph Taillasson, Henri-Pierre Danloux, Jean-Baptiste Regnault and Nicolas-Antoine Taunay.

Work
Lépicié's work was visibly influenced by his father's friend, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, whose themes were a source of inspiration. Lépicié's subjects range from portraits (Le Petit Dessinateur -1772; The Astronomer (i.e. Pierre Charles Le Monnier) - 1777) to history paintings (Achilles and the Centaur Chiron - 1769) and genre scenes (A Mother Feeding her Child  - 1774, Cour de ferme - 1784).