Jean-Joseph Kapeller

Born in Marseille in 1706, Kapeller followed in the footsteps of his father, Jean-Georges, a respected painter, eventually becoming a central figure in the local art scene.¹

Deeply involved in religious life, he became rector of the Franciscan third order in 1745, illustrating the significant social roles artists held in their communities.¹

His son Pierre-Paul also became a painter, specializing in still lifes of shells in Spanish South America, extending the family's artistic legacy across borders.¹

His 1756 masterpiece, depicting the embarkation for Minorca under the Duke of Richelieu, captured a major historical event through a grand seascape, becoming his most famous work.¹

Co-founded the Marseille Academy of Painting and Sculpture with Dandré-Bardon, later serving as its director-rector from 1771 and shaping regional art education.¹

Though famous in Marseille during his life, he remained little known outside Provence, and many works are now lost, with survivors held in Toulon and Marseille museums.¹