CHARONTON, ENGUERRAND

(Enguerrand Quarton; c. 1420-1466)

French painter from Laon who moved to Southern France in 1444 where he was active in Aix-en-Provence, Arles, andAvignon. From thebankerPierre Cadard, Charonton received the commission to paint theVirginof Mercy(1452; Chantilly, Musée Condé) for the Celestine Convent of Avignon. In the work, executed in collaboration with Pierre Villate of Limoges, members of the clergy and monarchy kneel under the protection of the Virgin's open mantle. SaintsJohn the BaptistandJohn the Evangelistrecommend Cadard's parents—Jean, the physician to Charles Vl's children, and his wife, Jeanne des Moulins—who kneel in prayer at either side. Charonton also painted theCoronation of the Virgin(1454; Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Musée de l'Hospice) for the Church of the Carthusians in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. Below the main scene is acrucifixionflanked by the cities of Jerusalem andRomeand angels who carry the souls of the blessed up to heaven, with the donor, the priest Jean de Montagnac, at the foot of the cross. On the lowest portion of the painting are depictions of purgatory and hell. The most striking aspects of Charonton's work are the aesthetic appeal of theVirgin, the use of brilliant colors, the hierarchic placement of the figures, and the clear organization of the complex scene.