Association Française pour le Rayonnement du Théâtre du Château de Drottningholm

Louis-Jean Desprez
1743-1804
Biographical note by Gilbert Blin - page 2/3

During his sojourn in Italy, the activity of Desprez exceeded the one of an ordinary pupil and his stay was prolonged in proportion. From 1777 to 1784, in parallel to his compositions of architecture and his regular studies send to Paris, perhaps conscious of the improbability as of its projects, Desprez developed additional activities.

Desprez was recruited, with other pensioners, by the abbot of Saint-Non as draughtsman of sights and landscapes to illustrate his Voyage pittoresque ou Description des royaumes de Naples et de Sicile. Traversing the south of Italy, Desprez drew constantly and 135 of his projects were retained for the final edition.
Desprez was also put to paint, perhaps on the councils of Peyron and David, then also “pensionnaires”. His progresses were appreciated by Vien and by Lagrenée, successively at the direction of the “Académie de France à Rome”.
Lastly, he began in an activity which was going to take a great place in his work: he conceived and painted stage sets. These scenographies, conceived for the Aliberti Theatre in Rome, were a great success.
From Architecture to painting, while passing by landscape, all led Desprez to exert these talents in an art which exalt them all, and it is quite naturally that Desprez excelled immediately as scenographer.

At the beginning of 1784, Gustave III, who was carrying out his “Grand Tour”, met officially Desprez in Rome. The Swedish sovereign urged the French architect to take the post of first draughtsman as of “his amusements”, i.e. to direct ephemeral decorations which punctuated the life of the court: ceremonies, festivities and spectacles.

Discover, on this subject:

• Desprez in Italy(engravings ; private collection)