Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu, called "Tardieu fils" or "Tardieu the younger", (2 September 1716 – 9 July 1791) was a French engraver.
Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu was born on 2 September 1716 in Paris. He was the son of Marie-Anne Horthemels and Nicolas-Henri Tardieu, both engravers. He was taught by his father, who was recognized as one of the most eminent engravers France has produced. He was received at the Academie francaise on 24 October 1749 for his engraved portraits of Bon Boullogne (after Gilles Allou) and Le Lorrain (after Donat Nonnotte). He became graveur ordinaire du roi (Official Engraver to the King) and is also described as graveur ordinaire of the Elector of Cologne.
Tardieu married in turn two print makers, Jeanne-Louise-Francoise Duvivier and Elisabeth-Claire Tournay. Jeanne-Louise is on record as having made several engravings. Her father, Jean Duvivier, and her brother, Pierre-Simon-Benjamin Duvivier, were both medal engravers, members of the Academy and graveurs du roi (King's Engravers). Jeanne-Louise died on 6 April 1762. Tardieu's second wife, Elisabeth Claire (1731 – 3 May 1773) was also an engraver. Her works included The Concert after Jean Francois de Troy, La Marchande de moutarde (The Mustard Merchant) after Charles Francois Hutin, La Dame de Charite (The Charitable Lady), Le Pretre du Catechisme (The Catechist) and La Vieille Coquette (The Old Coquette) after Pierre Louis Dumesnil, and Le Joli Dormir (The Repose) after Etienne Jeaurat. The tendency for wives to become prominent artists beside their husbands was unusual at the time but was common in the Tardieu family.
Jacques-Nicolas Tardieu died in Paris on 9 July 1791. His son Jean-Charles Tardieu became a well-known painter.
Tardieu made less use of the point graver than his father, and more use of the Burin, or cold chisel. As a result, his prints are more precise. It has been said, however, that they are "inferior in spirit and picturesqueness of effect." He made some of the plates for the Gallery of Versailles, after paintings by Charles Le Brun. His greatest ability may have been in portraits, such as those of his father and of Alexis Simon Belle, Pierre Jeannin and Mademoiselle du Bocage. His most notable portrait was that of the queen Marie Leszczynska, after Jean-Marc Nattier.
Tardieu's portraits include:
Louis XV, after VanlooQueen Marie Leszczynska, wife of Louis XV after Jean-Marc NattierMarie Henriette of France after Jean-Marc NattierThe Archbishop of Bordeaux after Jean Restout the youngerRobert Lorraine, sculptor to the King and Bou Boullogne, Painter to the King 1749Other well-known works are:
Christ appearing to the Virgin after GuidoMary Magdalene penitant after Paolo PagnaniThe pool of Bethesda after Jean RestoutThe Miseries of War after TeniersA pair of landscapes after Cochin the Younger.Other works are:
Le Paralytique gueri pres de la piscine, after the painting by Jean Restout, Arras, Musee des beaux-arts, 1743La Sainte Famille, after ChristopheConstantin qui se fait apporter l’etendard ou etait travaille le signe qu’il avait vu dans le cielL’Eloquence, allegorie, after de La Joue, 1745Une vignette des armes du roi, avec des anges pour supports, after the drawing by M. BoucherPortrait du president Jeannin, ministre d’Etat sous Henri IVPortrait du marechal Dubourg, after M. de LeynPortrait de M. Belle, peintre du roi, after the painting done by himselfPortrait de M. Tardieu, le pere, graveur du roi, after Charles-Andre van LooVignette representant le portrait du roi, after a sketch by M. Duvivier, 1746Portail de l’eglise de Saint-Sulpice (pour la description de la dedicace de cette eglise)Portrait de feu Mgr le Dauphin duc de Bourgogne, after RigaudPortrait de feu M. l’abbe de Rothelin, after Noel-Nicolas CoypelPortrait de l’archeveque electeur de Cologne, 1748Portrait of M. le duc de Sully, author of the Memoires sur l’histoire d’Henri IVPortrait de M. de Boccage, after the painting by Marianne LoirDocteur alchimiste, after David Teniers the YoungerDeux tableaux representant differents costumes des peuples orientauxDeux tableaux representant des animaux, after the drawings by Charles-Nicolas CochinPortrait de feu M. de Boullongne, after Gilles Allou, 1750Portrait de M. Le Lorrain, after Claude-Adrien NonnotteLa Colere d’AchilleAdieu d’Hector et d’Andromaque, sujets tires de l’Iliade d’Homere), after the paintings by CoypelLes Miseres de la guerreLe Dejeuner flamand (dont le tableau est connu en Flandre sons le nom de La Devote de Teniers), after David Teniers the Younger.L’Apparition de Notre-Seigneur d la Sainte Vierge, estampe gravee, after le Guide (royal gallery of Dresden), 1753Portrait de la reine, after the painting by Jean-Marc Nattier, 1755La Magdeleine penitente, after Paolo Pagani, (royal gallery of Dresden), 1757Portrait de feu Mme Henriette de France, after Nattier, 1759Portrait de M. Lullin, ministre de GenevePortrait de Mgr l’archeveque de Bordeaux, after Restout, 1765Portrait de M. le prince de Gallitzin, ministre plenipotentiaire en France de la Cour de Russie, after Francois-Hubert DrouaisPortrait de M. d’Etemare, after Belle, 1775Portrait de Mlle de La FontPortrait de M. l’abbe Gourdin, 1777Portrait de Dimitri Alexeyevich Gallitzin, after Drouais, 1762
