(b St Hippolyte, Franche-Comté, 12 Dec 1621; d Rome, 14 Nov 1675). He specialized in battle paintings and in this field had a considerable reputation in the 17th century. He received his first training from his father, Jean-Pierre Courtois ( fl 1620–5), before moving to Italy in 1636; he then spent three years on military campaigns, where he drew battles and landscapes from nature (Baldinucci). His biographers then describe a period of travel and study in Bologna, Florence, where he met Jan Asselijn, and Siena, where he worked with Astolfo Petrazzi. He must have been in Rome by 1638, if it is true that he became a friend of Pieter van Laer, who had returned to Haarlem by 1639. In Rome he also became acquainted with Pietro da Cortona and Michelangelo Cerquozzi, who encouraged him to paint battle scenes.

Part of the Cortese family

• Courtois, Jacques
  • Battle pictures and military scenes, §2(i): The 17th century to the late 18th: Land warfare
  • France, §III, 3(ii): Painting & graphic arts, c 1620–c 1715: Influence of Venice and Rome
  • assistants
    • Lemke, Johann Philipp
  • collaboration
    • Cortese: (2) Guglielmo Cortese
  • copies
    • Reschi, Pandolfo
  • patrons and collectors
    • Jesuit Order, §3(ii): Patronage: Decoration
    • Medici, de’: (24) Mattias de’ Medici
    • Quentin de Lorangère
  • pupils
    • Parrocel: (1) Joseph Parrocel
  • works
    • Pozzo, Andrea, §2(i): Rome, 1681–1702: S Ignazio, Il Gesù and oil paintings