The son of a French artist, Simon Vouet settled in Italy in 1613, living chiefly in Rome. His style shows a profound talent and study of Italian painters, especially Veronese. Vouet enjoyed high favor, including the patronage of Pope Urban VIII.

In 1627 he was invited backto France, where he became "First Painter", a position challenged only once, in 1640-42, when he was brought into a rivalry with Nicolas Poussin.

Vouet taught or collaborated with almost all the painters of the next generation in France, notably Le Brun, Le Sueur and Mignard. He was a leading French Baroque painter and an arbiter of taste for almost 20 years.

His portraits of the court of Louis XIII and most of his large-scale decorative schemes for Parisian houses and country chateaux have been destroyed.