AUDRAN, Girard, or Gerard, the most celebrated artist of the whole family of the Audrans, was the third son of Claude Audran mentioned in a preceding article, and was born at Lyons in 1640. He was taught the first principles of design and engraving by his father; and, following the example of his brother, he went to Paris, where his genius soon began to manifest itself. His reputation there brought him to the knowledge of Le Brun, who employed him to engrave the Battles of Constantine, and the Triumph of that emperor; and for these works he obtained apartments at the Gobelins. At Rome, whither he went for improvement, he is said to have studied under Carlo Maratti, in order to perfect himself in drawing; and in that city, where he resided three years, he engraved several fine plates. That great encourager of the arts, M. Colbert, was so struck with the beauty of Audran's works whilst he resided at Rome, that he persuaded Louis XIV. to recall him. On his return he applied himself assiduously to engraving, and was appointed engraver to the king, from whom he received great encouragement. In the year 1681 he was named counsellor of the Royal Academy. He died at Paris in 1703, without male issue.
"He was," says the Abbé Fontenai, "the most celebrated engraver that ever existed in the historical line. We have several subjects which he engraved from his own designs, that manifested as much taste as character and facility. But in the Battles of Alexander he surpassed even the expectations of Le Brun himself." These consist of three very large prints, lengthwise, each consisting of four plates, which join together, from Le Brun; namely, The Passage of the Granicus, The Battle of Arbela, and Porus brought to Alexander after his defeat. To this set are added two more large prints lengthwise, on two plates each, also from Le Brun, namely, Alexander entering the Tent of Darius, and The Triumphal Entry of Alexander into Babylon. The former was engraved by Girard Edelink, and the latter by Girard Audran. It is to be remarked of all these plates, that those impressions are generally most esteemed which have the name of Goyton the printer marked upon them. The Pest, from Peter Mignard, a large plate, lengthwise, also deserves particular notice. In the first impressions, the figure in the clouds is Juno with her peacock behind her; in the latter the peacock is obliterated, and the wings of an angel are added to the figure.