Which neoclassical painter was the teacher of Jacques-Louis David?

Joseph-Marie Vien was the neoclassical painter who taught Jacques-Louis David.

David first encountered the older artist after François Boucher, his relative and an important Rococo painter, decided not to take on the young artist directly. Boucher instead directed David to Vien, whose work reflected the growing French interest in ancient Greek and Roman art. David entered Vien’s studio in the 1760s and absorbed his teacher’s emphasis on classical subjects, disciplined drawing, and archaeological detail.

Vien’s influence extended beyond direct instruction. In 1775, David accompanied Vien to Rome after Vien became director of the French Academy there. David’s later paintings helped make Neoclassicism one of Europe’s dominant artistic movements, but Vien belonged to the earlier generation that prepared the way. A common mix-up is François Boucher: Boucher redirected David to Vien, rather than serving as David’s principal teacher.