Charles Messier (June 26, 1730 - April 12, 1817)

Portrait of Charles Messier, painted by Nicolas Anseaume (or Ansiaume, Ansiome) in March, 1771 when Messier was 40 years old. Charles Messier commented on the back of the portrait, "This portrait is a good likeness, except that I appear younger than I am, and I have been given a better expression than I have."

The image here was created from a photo by Dr. Owen Gingerich. The original painting is in private possession; at the time the photo was made it was owned by Bernard Roy of Nantes, France.

The painter of the drawing, Nicolas Anseaume (1730-1786), was born in Léry, Normandy on May 20, 1730, the son of César Anseaume and his wife Anne Vedi, and died in Paris in 1786. He was known as the "painter of the Royal Academy."

Last Modification: February 28, 2017