1699 Paris
1779 Paris

Jean Baptiste-Siméon Chardin was born in Saint-German-des-Prés, a bohemian quarter in Paris, on 2 November 1699. Chardin was trained as craftsman. However, it soon became evident that Chardin was more talented as a painter. At the age of 19, he was sent by his father to Pierre-Jaques Cazes's. He continued his artistic training with Noël-Nicolas Coypel. In 1724 Chardin became master of the St.-Lukas guild and in the same year met Marguerite Saintard. They were not able to marry before 1731 since Jean Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, after some unsuccessful exhibitions, had to wait until September 1728 to be accepted as a member of the Académie Royale. Marguerite died in 1735. The death of his wife also affected Chardin's style. In 1743 the painter became a conseiller of the Académie Royale, later the treasurer. Jean Baptiste-Siméon Chardin died in Paris in 1779.