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.
Sculpture of a White Rhinoceros in Wool 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 paintings and sculptures, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures...
Wool
Armillary Sphere, Mechanical Sculpture, Thierry Despont, US, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Steel
Set of Three Wire Frame Metal Geometric Solids by Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Paint, Paper
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
MS 11 Mechanical Sculpture, Thierry Despont, US, 21st Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Armillary Sphere 01 Mixed Media Sculpture in Two Pieces, Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Steel
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
OR 06, Sculpture of Moon Disk 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 sculptures practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of t...
Metal
Found Object Sculpture of a Dragon, Thierry Despont, 20th Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Insect 49, Found Object Insect Sculpture, US, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
OR 08, Mechanical Sculpture from the collection of Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Iron, Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, 2008
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, c. 2006
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, 21st century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Specimen 169, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, 2008
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Sculptural Self Portrait, United States, 20th century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Stone, Metal
Thierry Despont, Mechanical Sculpture on Stand, United States, 20th century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Assemblage Fish Sculpture from the collection of Thierry Despont
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Steel
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, c. 2006
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, 2008
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Bird Sculpture Constructed from Found Objects, US, 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, c. 2006
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, c. 2006
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Specimen 49, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, 2009
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of a Mask on Stand, US, 2009
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, OR 07 Mechanical Sculpture, United States, 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of Insect, United States, 20th Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Insect Sculpture, United States, c. 2007
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
Thierry Despont, Found Object Sculpture of Insect, United States, 20th Century
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures fa...
Metal
MS 16, Assemblage Insect Sculpture
By Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
Thierry Despont was best-known for his very successful architectural practice—but he was also an accomplished artist. Some of his most interesting works are a series of sculptures f...
Steel