, born at Aries in 1719, was son of a button-seller, and died suddenly
, born at Aries in 1719, was
son of a button-seller, and died suddenly at Avignon in
the month of August 1765. He made himself famous by
his engravings, which obtained him a place in the academy
of painting at Paris. He had acquired a peculiar manner
of engraving, which gave a mellowness and delicacy to his
works. When he would, he united the nice finishing of
Edelink and Naiiteuil, with the bold strokes of Mellau.
His principal pieces are “Les belles marines,
” which he
engraved from M. Vernet, and the portrait of Frederick
Augustus, elector of Saxony and king of Poland. This
portrait, a master-piece of engraving, was the fatal cause
of all his misfortunes, of his exclusion from the academy,
and of his forced retreat to Avignon. It was by order of
the dauphiness that he had executed this portrait; and he
took proof-impressions of it, contrary to the express promise he had given to that princess. It is at the head of the
fine collection of the Dresden gallery. The talents of Balechou were not confined to engraving. He had a taste
and some skill in chymistry, which he had studied to a
certain extent. It is even not improbable, that a chymical
remedy, of which he either took too strong a close, or at
an improper time, might contribute not a little to his sudden and premature death.