Many of the musical forms that developed during the Baroque period (concertos, suites and sonatas) can also be found in the French Baroque repertoire. The dominant French Baroque composer was the Italian-born Giovanni Battista Lulli (1632-1687), who later changed his last name to Lully. He was the court composer to Louis XIV and dictated the direction and style of French art during his lifetime. After Lully's death, two other composers, Jean Philippe Rameau and Francois Couperin, further defined the Baroque style.
Two major French Baroque painters were Nicolas Poussin and Georges de la Tour. The former's paintings are characterized by their rational approach and classical themes. Like many French Baroque artists, de la Tour emulated earlier Italian artists. His particular inspiration was Caravaggio, and his paintings utilize the chiaroscuro technique of shading and light. Another major force during this period were the Nain brothers, whose paintings sympathetically documented the lives of the poor.
French architecture during the Baroque period is characterized by vast and ornate palaces and elaborate gardens. During the latter half of the 17th century, the famed Palace of Versailles was built as the personal residence of Louis XIV. Also during the Baroque period, the Louvre Museum was expanded. The defining architect was Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who designed parts of the Palace of Versailles and the Orangerie (a greenhouse built on the grounds of the Louvre).
The Baroque period came to be defined by Louis XVI's rule, which spanned from 1661 to 1715. The Sun King's personal composer (Lully) and star architect (Mansart) have subsequently embodied the primary characteristics of French Baroque design and artistic sensibility. Charles Le Brun was likewise Louis' court painter and ran the national art academy, which produced artists whose work included mural paintings and altarpieces that treated Louis XIV in a favorable light.