Nicolas Tonssaint Charlet, a French artist, born in Paris in 1792, died there in 1845. His father was a poor soldier, and he received but a scanty education; but while employed in registering recruits for the municipality he laid the foundation for his remarkable knowledge of soldierly characteristics. Being a zealous Bonapartist, ho lost his place in 1816. He then studied under Gros, and soon produced his first lithographic work, representing a Waterloo grenadier under the popular title, La garde mcurt, mais ne se rend pas. Encouraged by its great success, he executed thousands of lithographic prints and drawings in water colors and sepia, with humorous, grotesque, and graceful representations of the soldier's life, which became exceedingly popular. He struggled with adversity till about 1820, when, after his return from a visit to London with the painter Gerieault, he found a more regular and lucrative market for his productions; and in the opinion of his admirers, their patriotic spirit contributed nearly as much as the songs of Beranger in paving the way for the revolution of 1830. In 1831 he was made chevalier and afterward officer of the legion of honor. At the close of 1832 he reproduced the incidents of the siege of the citadel of Antwerp from his observations on the spot.

His painting, in 183G, of an "Episode in the Retreat from Russia," in the museum of Lyons, which was regarded by Alfred de Musset as a perfect poem, led the government to commission him in 1837 to paint a picture of the passage of the Rhine at Kehl by Moreau for the Versailles museum; and his "Convoy of Wounded Soldiers halting in a Ravine" is in that of Valenciennes. In 1838 he was appointed professor of design in the polytechnic school, and introduced pen drawing in place of previous methods of instruction. He also continued to produce lithographic works, including 52 renowned illustrations of Lavie civile, politique et militaire du caporal Valentin (1838-'42), and 500 plates for Bourdin's Memorial de Sainte-Helene (1841-'2). Despite ill health he was active to the last. D. A. M. Raffet (1804-'60) and J. L. II. Bellange (1800-'GG) were among his ablest pupils. His life-long friend Col. J. F. L. de La Combe published Charlet, sa vie, ses lettres, suivi d'une description raisonnee de son oeuvre lithographique (Paris, 1856).