In 1658, he goes to Roma, where during a couple of years he is studing the paintings by Raphaël and the antic vestiges.

He is fascinated by the painters from Bologna (the Carrache, Le Dominiquin, Guido Reni, Le Guerchin and especially the large compositions of Pierre de Cortone). Then , he goes to Venezia and stays there between 1660 and 1663 where he learns the brightly colors. When he comes back to Paris, in 1663, Colbert protects him and Charles Le Brun too, so they entrust him important official orders. Pierre Mignard who comes back to Italy in 1658, becomes his first rival. Charles de la Fosse is in 1673 a membership of the Academy and works for Versailles in the same time than Blanchard but also for the Louvre, the Tuileries and realize decorations for different patrons : Miss de Montpensier, cousin of Louis XIV orders him the decoration of the Cattle de Choisy’s Chapel. Her sister, Elisabeth de Guise, orders him several decorations like the Marquise de Montespan, or Louvois, the successor of Colbert who entrust him to decorate a huge ceiling for the cattle de Meudon. Then, he becomes the protected of Armand Wignerod du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu and nephew of the Cardinal. Circa 1690, he paints with Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer and Jacques Rousseau the mansion ‘s decoration of the Duc de Montaigu, the british ambassador in France.

His last important masterpiece is the decoration of Hotel Crozat, circa 1705 which represent the story of Minerve (disappeared today). The famous patron Crozat asks him to live in this mansion where he meets Antoine Watteau in 1712. He died in 1716.

Charles de la Fosse is a great painter and one of the most talented drawer of his time. At the beginning of the years 1660’s when he is still in Venezia, he sends his drawings to Paris and his father shows it to Colbert. Thanks to that drawings, Lafosse receives a bourse of the king which let him stay larger in Italy and let him choose his work place. With a brillant technique, the artist compose his studies with rigor and elegance. The draped of the dress gives fullness and grace to the model.