Jean Denis Attiret
Jean Denis Attiret was a French Jesuit painter and missionary to Qing China.
Early life
Attiret was born in Dole, France. He studied art in Rome and made himself a name as a painter. While a Jesuit novice, he did paintings in the Cathedral of Avignon and the Sodality Chapel.He went to China in 1737 and was given the title Painter to the Emperor by the Qianlong Emperor. Because the emperor insisted on the use of Chinese painting methods and styles, Attiret's painting eventually became entirely Chinese in style. Most of his works were paintings of natural subjects such as trees, fruit, fish and other animals done on glass or silk. However, many of them also include portraits of members of the imperial family and court; altogether he is credited with at least 200 portraits.