, a self-taught genius, was born in 1648 at Lisle en Albigeois in
, a self-taught genius, was born
in 1648 at Lisle en Albigeois in Languedoc. He drevr
with the pen, or Indian ink, and arrived at such eminence
in that branch as to be complimented upon it by Carlo
Marat. He went to visit that painter, who received him
with politeness, and offered him his pencil; when he declined using it, saying, that he had never practised painting. “I am glad to hear it,
” said the artist, “for if I
may judge from your drawings of the progress you would
have made in painting, I must certainly have given place
to you.
” Fage lived irregularly, generally drawing at a
public-house, and sometimes paying his bills by a sketch,
produced upon the occasion. He died in 1690; Audran,
Simoneau, and others, engraved a collection of one hundred and twenty-three prints from his designs, and Strutt
mentions some prints engraved by himself.