Louis-Jean Desprez Auxerre 1743 - Stockholm 1804

Laid down and sandwiched between a board and mount, it appears to be in good condition. Watercolour quite fresh and vivid, a few tiny light brown stains in the sky and slight rubbing in a few areas of the sky. Overall still fresh. Sold in a carved gilded 19th Century Empire frame.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This impressive and dramatic work is very close in style and composition to a watercolour by Desprez now in the Louvre (inv. no. RF.54 234).  Régis Michel has identified the subject of that work as the conquest of Agrigentum by Hannibal, a story taken from the writings of the classical historian Diodorus of Sicily, active in the first century B.C.  The present subject is also from Diodorus (Book XIII, chapter 90) and depicts the general Hamilcar attacking Agrigentum, killing the inhabitants and looting the city and its temples.  On the right, in flames, is the temple of Minerva, where Gellias, a distinguished citizen famous for his munificence and hospitality, had taken refuge with other citizens.  When he realized the temple would not be spared by the Carthaginians, he set fire to it with all of those sheltering inside.  In the middle of the composition, on a pedestal, is the famous bronze bull made by Perillus for Phalaris, a tyrant of Agrigentum.  This ingenious work was used to put criminals to death by roasting them alive inside the belly of the bull.  It was taken as booty by Hamilcar, but returned by Scipio after his conquest of Carthage 260 years later.  Diodorus describes it as the most precious of treasures, still in Agrigentum when he was writing.  The famous temple of Concord appears in the background.

Desprez was clearly very familiar with ancient sources and very faithful to their texts and iconography, as demonstrated by this and other watercolours.¹  He also had first-hand knowledge of Agrigentum as he had visited Southern Italy and Sicily in 1777 when he and Châtelet were employed by Saint-Non to record the topography and buildings of the ancient sites.  At that time, Agrigentum was famous for being one of the best preserved ancient cities of Sicily.  Winckelmann said in 1760 that aside from Agrigentum, 'all the other monuments of the island have been entirely destroyed'.  Some of Desprez's views of Agrigentum, made during his visit, are in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.²

The unusually dramatic nature of Desprez's compositions has been much admired and written about.  In this drawing, although it is probably not for a stage set, the way the space between the ancient monuments is crowded with swarming figures creates a vivid theatrical effect.

1 R. Michel, 'Desprez chimérique, La prise d'Agrigente; un dessin-frisson', in Societé des Amis du Louvre, 3ième Trimestre, June 2005

2 N.G. Wollin, Desprez en Italie: dessins topographiques et d'architecture, décors de theatre et composition romantiques..., Malmö 1935, p. 269, reproduced fig. 171 and p. 251, reproduced fig. 134