Finson, Louis

Louis Finson (c. 1575-1617; known in Italy as Ludovicus Finsonius) is a Dutch painter of the 16th-17th centuries, one of the first followers of Caravaggio in France and Holland .

Louis Finson
niderl. Louis finson
Self Portrait 1613
Birth name	Ludovicus finsonius Ludovicus finson Louis finsonius Louis vinson Ludovicus vinson
Date of Birth	1580 ( 1580 )
Place of Birth	Bruges
Date of death	1617 ( 1617 )
Place of death	Amsterdam
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The exact date of birth is unknown - it is believed that he was born in Bruges in 1575 or so. He was probably francophone or bilingual. It is known that in 1600 he departed for Italy , where he trained in painting in Naples and Rome . Italian mannerism slowly turned into the Baroque style and influenced the creative manner of the young artist, as evidenced by his early works. But the Roman masters, followed by the artists of Naples, were subdued by the artistic manner of Caravaggio, one of the founders of the democratic branch of Roman Baroque. The finds of Caravaggio had a huge impact on the creative manner of Louis Finson. He left Italy as a staunch follower of the infamous master. He returned home through southern France, where he stayed for a long time in provincial towns. He painted mainly on the orders of the church, but within the themes of the Roman followers of Caravaggio: “Cutting off the head of John the Baptist”, “Prayer of Mary Magdalene”, “Adoration of the Magi”, “Persuasion of the Apostle Thomas”. However, some of his paintings are far from caravagism - like the allegory of “The Four Elements”.

Four forces

The lack of a strong patron forced Finson to become an itinerant master, so he worked in provincial cities, gradually moving to the north: Marseille, Arles, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Paris. According to inaccurate data, he emigrated to the city of Amsterdam, where he died in 1617. Work in provincial cities did not contribute to the widespread fame of his works.