Jean Baptiste Vanloo

Jean Baptiste Vanloo kept a pet monkey named Coco who loved stealing his paintbrushes mid-stroke. The artist didn’t mind—he’d just hand the brush back and continue painting the same lace collar or velvet sleeve, as if Coco’s interruptions were part of the creative process. He spent years perfecting small, crisp portraits where every pearl looked real enough to pluck. If you’ve ever paused in front of a lace cuff in a museum and forgotten to blink, look up his *H Beard Print Collection* from 1740—it’s the closest thing to a time machine into his world.