Louis Jean Desprez

Louis Jean Desprez (* 1737 in Auxerre, † March 19, 1804 in Stockholm) was a French architect, painter and graphic artist who worked mainly in Sweden.

Desprez was among the many artists who. Gustav III were brought to Sweden.

Biography

Desprez was born as the son of the wigmaker Louis Mathieu Desprez and his wife Perette Bourbon. He was baptized on 28 May 1743 but the date of birth is not known. At a young age he was sent to Paris, where he was employed for some time at Jacques- François Blondel and studied at the Academy of Architecture. Desprez in 1774 married Anne de Vermale, but from whom he separated two years later. 1776, he also created drawings and engravings for the anthology Voyage pittoresque (Paris 1781-86 ), who were appointed by the Abbé de Saint- Non's. In 1777 he moved to Rome, where he studied at the local French Academy. This was possible because he had previously been awarded in the Prix de Rome scholarship.

From Rome undertook a study tour Desprez in 1778 by southern Italy, where he held numerous existing there ancient and medieval buildings in sketchbooks, which are now kept in the National Museum in Stockholm. From Desprez originates among others, the only surviving depiction of the ruins of the castle of Frederick Donjons in Lucera, which Frederick II of Hohenstaufen had been in the 1230s years in order, and that was completely demolished in 1790.

In Rome Desprez was busy among other decorations for the Alibertitheater which the attention of the 1784 staying in the city of the Swedish king, Gustav III. , Hinged on Desprez. He also drew templates for colored vistas of Pompeii, which were sold to visitors to the excavation site.

Desprez succeeded Gustav III. at the invitation to Sweden and created in Stockholm with great personal sympathy of the king, who also gave detailed instructions on new stage decorations. It was found that Desprez other assets in the fields of architecture, painting and graphics had and besides, he was a regular fixture in the Stockholm social life where he did not put back before a fight. For He hit the headlines with several lovers, though he was officially married yet.

Architecturally, he was responsible for several buildings in Haga Park in Stockholm, but his biggest project, the large castle in the park was not completed, as Gustav III. was murdered before. So his most important building is the Orangerie in Uppsala, which he constructed in 1787. 1799 Desprez was appointed by the new king Gustav IV Adolf for the first architects. Before his death, he still managed a pompous funeral ceremony for Duke Fredrik Adolf ( a brother of Gustav III. ) To design, that he himself no longer witnessed. Desprez assets at the end was so shrunk that his survivors had to ask the state for an advance for the simple burial in the cemetery Jacob.

Ruins of the keep of Frederick II in the castle of Lucera ( Puglia); Drawing by Desprez from 1778