Born in France, Thierry Despont studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and earned a Master’s in Urban Design from Harvard. After founding his architectural firm in 1980, he built a prestigious reputation, working on landmark projects such as the Statue of Liberty’s Centennial Restoration, the J. Paul Getty Museum’s Decorative Arts Galleries, and high-end hotels like the Carlyle in New York and Claridge’s in London. His many high profile clients included the likes of Bill Gates and Calvin Klein.
While best known for these projects, Despont was a no less accomplished visual artist. His enthusiasms were myriad, and his work focused on an almost incredible range of subjects, including but not limited to entymology, ichthyology, anthopology, history, and astronomy. The very smallest of earth's creatures, like insects, captivated him no less than the universe’s very largest—planetary bodies and the cosmos. All of his work was informed by an unrivaled art-historical expertise, lead by a wholly unique imagination, and driven by an omniverous curiousity for life and the very nature of existence.
A Knight of the French Legion of Honor and an Interior Design Hall of Fame inductee, Despont also authored design books. He exhibited his paintings and sculptures globally, notably at the Marlborough Gallery in New York, London, and Monaco.
NB 07, Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Enamel
NB 14, Painting of a Planet from the collection of Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Aluminum, Enamel, Silver Leaf
Large Framed Print of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paper
Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Wood
MNB 16, Black & Yellow Planet, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Yellow Planet, Large Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Large Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
MNB 03, Rust Planet, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
MNB 14, Rust Planet, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
UNB 02, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
SNB 17, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2002
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
SNB 08, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2002
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Wood, Paint
NB 07-T, Moon Tapestry, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2010
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Tapestry
Red/Black Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
Large Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
UNB 04, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
Mustard Planet, Large Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
UNB 03, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
Black Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper, Wood
Large Framed Print of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paper
Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Canvas
LNB 02 Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont, United States, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Yellow and Black Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont, United States
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Wood
RF 0412, Framed Print of a Pair of Fish by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper
Yellow and Green Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Wood, Paint
MNB 15 Planet on Metal Panel (Cream and Brown), Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Wood, Paint
MNB 12 Mustard Planet, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
NB 05, Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Enamel
MNB 09 Rust Planet, Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
SNB 18, Small Framed Planet Painting by Thierry Despont, US, 2002
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal, Enamel
Framed Watercolor of a Fish by Thierry Despont, United States, 20th Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper, Paint
Framed Watercolor of a Eel by Thierry Despont, United States, 20th Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paint, Paper
NB 12, Large Red Painting of a Planet on Wood Panel, Thierry Despont, US, 2002
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Wood, Glass, Paint
Large Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
Large Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Wood
NB 33, Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Enamel
RF 0425, Print of a Pair of Fish by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper
MNB 06 Rust Planet, Painting with Relief by Thierry Despont, United States, 2003
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Green Planet, Large Painting by Thierry Despont, United States, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Metal
Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Wood, Paint
Large Framed Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Paint, Paper
RF 0426, Framed Print of a Pair of Fish by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper
RF 0411, Framed Print of a Pair of Fish by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper
NB 10, Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Enamel
NB 29, Large-scale Painting of a Planet by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...
Enamel
Framed Print of a Pair of Fish from the collection of Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper
Framed Print Depicting a Fish from the collection of Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont, best-known for his very successful architectural practice, was also an accomplished artist. As a painter (and sculptor) he frequently took for subjects the smallest,...
Paper