Robert Picou

circa 1593 Tours – 1671 Paris

Robert Picou studied under Jacob Bunel and was active in the first half of the 17th century. Little is known of the life of this painter and etcher, who in the course of his career was awarded the title of “peintre du roi”. Between 1623 and 1626 he was evidently in Rome, where a note in the parish records of the church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte indicates that he was employed as a painter for the king of Spain. He is also thought to have been friends with Pierre Brebiette. In his catalogue of works Robert-Dumesnil lists just seven prints by Picou, all of which he records as being of the utmost rarity (“Elles sont si rares, que M. de Marolles n’en avait pu réunir que trois”).