Claude, a French engraver, the first of the celebrated artists of that name, was the son of Louis Audran, an officer belonging to the wolf-hunters in the reign of Henry IV. of France, and was born at Paris in 1592. He never made any great progress in that art, so that his prints are held in little or no estimation. Yet though he acquired no great reputation by his own works, it was no small honour to him to be the father of three great artists, Germain, Claude, and Girard; the last of whom has immortalized the name of the family. Claude Audran retired from Paris to Lyons, where he died in 1677.

Carl, a very eminent engraver, was brother to the preceding, though some assert he was only his cousin-german, and was born at Paris in 1594. In his infancy he discovered a great taste and disposition for the arts; and to perfect himself in engraving, to which he appears to have been chiefly attached, he went to Rome, where he produced several prints which did him great honour. At his return he adopted that species of engraving which is performed with the graver only. He settled at Paris, where he died in 1674. The Abbé Marolles, who always speaks of this artist with great praise, attributes 130 prints to him; amongst which, the Annunciation, a middle-sized plate, upright, from Hannibal Caracci, and the Assumption, in a circle, from Domenichino, are the most esteemed. In the early part of his life he marked his prints with C, or the name of Carl, till his brother Claude published some plates with the initial only of his baptismal name, when, for distinction's sake, he used the letter K, or wrote his name Karl, with the K instead of the C.

Germain, the eldest son of Claude, mentioned in the preceding article but one, was born in 1631, at Lyons, where his parents then resided. Not content with the instructions of his father, he went to Paris and perfected himself under his uncle Carl; so that, upon his return to Lyons, he published several prints which did great honour to his burin. His merit was in such estimation that he was made a member of the academy established in that town, and chosen a professor. He died at Lyons in 1710, and left behind him four sons, all artists, namely, Claude, Benoît, John, and Louis.

Claude, the second of this name, and second son to Claude above mentioned, was born at Lyons in 1639, and went to Rome to study painting, where he succeeded so well that on his return he was employed by Le Brun to assist him in the Battles of Alexander, which he was then painting for the king of France. He was received into the Royal Academy in the year 1675, and died unmarried at Paris in 1684.

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 Edelinck, 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 Guyton 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.

Benoît, the second son of Germain Audran, was born at Lyons in 1661, where he learned the first principles of design and engraving under the instruction of his father. But soon after going to Paris, his uncle Girard Audran took him under his tuition; and Benoît so greatly profited by his instructions, that though he never equalled the sublime style of his tutor, yet he deservedly acquired great reputation. He was honoured with the appellation of the king's engraver, and received the royal pension in 1715. He was made an academician, and admitted into the council. He died unmarried at Louzouer, where he had an estate, in 1721. His manner was founded upon the bold clear style of his uncle. outlines were firm and determined, his drawing correct, the heads of his figures in general very expressive, and the other extremities well marked.

Audran, John, the third son of Germain Audran, was born at Lyons in 1667, and, after having received instructions from his father, went to Paris to perfect himself in the art of engraving under his uncle Gerard Audran. At the age of twenty years the genius of this great artist began to display itself in a surprising manner; and his subsequent success was such, that in 1707 he obtained the title of engraver to the king, and had a pension allowed him by his majesty, with apartments in the Gobelins; and the following year he was made a member of the Royal Academy. He was eighty years of age before he quitted the graver, and nearly ninety when he died at the apartments assigned him by the king. He left three sons behind, one of whom was also an engraver, as we shall see below. The best and most masterly prints of this artist are those which appear not so pleasing to the eye at first sight. In these the etching constitutes a great part; and he has finished them in a bold rough style.

Audran, Louis, the last son of Germain Audran, was born at Lyons in 1670, and thence went to Paris, after the example of his brothers, to complete his studies in the school of his uncle Girard. He died suddenly at Paris in 1712, before he had produced any great number of prints by his own hand.

Audran, Benoît, the second engraver of that name, was the son of John Audran, nephew to the former Benoît, and also established at Paris. He engraved but few plates. It is necessary, however, to be careful not to confound him with his uncle. But a little attention will easily prevent this mistake; for the second Benoît is vastly inferior to the first in point of merit. We have some few portraits by this artist; and, among other plates, the Descent from the Cross, from a picture of Poussin.