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Charles-Louis Clérisseau (28 August 1721 – 9 January 1820) was a French architect, draughtsman,
antiquary An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artefacts, archaeological and historic sit ...
, and artist who became a leading authority on ancient Roman architecture and Roman ruins in Italy and France. With his influence extending to
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, and clients including
Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
and
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
, Clérisseau played a key role in the genesis of
neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of t ...
during the second half of the 18th century.


Education; career in Rome

Born in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, Clérisseau was a pupil of the architect
Germain Boffrand Germain Boffrand () (16 May 1667 – 19 March 1754) was a French architect. A pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Germain Boffrand was one of the main creators of the precursor to Rococo called the ''style Régence'', and in his interiors, of the ...
. In 1746, in his mid-twenties, he won a Premier
Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...
in the architectural competition to design ''Un grand hôtel'', or great mansion. The prize included a scholarship to study in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, and in 1749 Clérisseau became an official ''pensionnaire'' (resident) at the French Academy in Rome, where his instructors included the painter of ruins
Giovanni Paolo Pannini Giovanni Paolo, also known as Gian Paolo Panini or Pannini (17 June 1691 – 21 October 1765), was an Italian Baroque painter and architect who worked in Rome and is primarily known as one of the '' vedutisti'' ("view painters"). As a painter, Pan ...
. In Rome, he also befriended
Giovanni Battista Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric " ...
and Claude-Joseph Vernet, and in 1752 the three of them set out on a sketching tour of
Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa (; ) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the ruins and archaeological remains of a large Roman villa, villa complex built around AD 120 by Roman emperor Hadrian near Tivoli, Italy, Tivoli outside Rome. It is the most impos ...
at Tivoli. Before beginning to draw, the three first had to cut and burn away the undergrowth, where lurked colonies of venomous snakes and scorpions. In 1753, Clérisseau's final months at the Academy were marred by a bitter dispute with its director,
Charles-Joseph Natoire Charles-Joseph Natoire (3 March 1700 – 23 August 1777) was a French painter in the Rococo manner, a pupil of François Lemoyne and director of the French Academy in Rome, 1751–1775. Considered during his lifetime the equal of François Bou ...
. Clérisseau was for a time expelled, but was eventually allowed to return and complete his scholarship. In 1755 the Scottish architect
Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (architect), William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and train ...
arrived in
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
, where he met Clérisseau, who accompanied him to Rome; there the ambitious Adam resolved, under thea of Clérisseau, to produce a volume for publication upon his return to Britain that would establish him as a serious architect. The project finally selected was a volume documenting the ruins of Diocletian's Palace at
Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...
, on the Dalmatian coast. Over a period of five weeks in 1757 Adam sketched and supervised the documentation of the ruins, while Clérisseau produced perspectives, and two German draftsmen undertook the measured drawings. Most of the published engravings in Adam's ''Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro'' (1764) are believed to be the work of Clérisseau, though he received no credit. Clérisseau passed most of the next decades in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. As it had done since the
High Renaissance In art history, the High Renaissance was a short period of the most exceptional artistic production in the Italian states, particularly Rome, capital of the Papal States, and in Florence, during the Italian Renaissance. Most art historians stat ...
, ancient Rome and modern Rome functioned as a cultural hub, the ruins of
Classical Antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...
providing a school in themselves, if one had a knowledgeable guide. Clérisseau served as a mentor to a generation of young architectural students who (like Clérisseau) had won the prestigious
Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...
and came to study at the French Academy in Rome. He also guided the developing taste for the Antique in young French and British artists and gentlemen amateurs on the Grand Tour. His skillful drawings of ancient architectural details, of real Roman ruins and imaginary ones, helped form the taste of young architects like
Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (architect), William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and train ...
in the 1750s and his brother James Adam, in 1760-63. Clérisseau added to his income by providing architectural illustrations, sometimes in series, for young men on the Grand Tour. On the first of December, 1763, in
San Luigi dei Francesi The Church of St. Louis of the French (, , ) is a Catholic Church, Catholic church near Piazza Navona in Rome. The church is dedicated to the patron saints of France: Virgin Mary, Dionysius the Areopagite and King Louis IX of France. The churc ...
(Church of St. Louis of the French) in Rome, Clérisseau married Therèse, daughter of the sculptor Pierre de l'Estache. "Clérisseau was forty-two and Therése was presumably much younger, though her father was about seventy-five at the time." File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, View of the Colosseum in Rome, between 1750 and 1755, Hermitage (cropped).jpg, View of the Colosseum in Rome (between 1750 and 1755), Hermitage


Return to Paris; dealings with Catherine the Great and Thomas Jefferson

Upon his return to Paris in the summer of 1767, Clérisseau became a magnet for young neoclassical architects, like François-Joseph Bélanger, who themselves never visited Rome. Although they never met, and he never traveled to Russia, Clérisseau nonetheless attracted the attention of
Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
, who in 1773 solicited from him plans for a house in a style ''à l'antique'' to be erected in her gardens at
Tsarskoye Selo Tsarskoye Selo (, , ) was the town containing a former residence of the Russian House of Romanov, imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the center of Saint Petersburg. The residence now forms part of the Pushkin, Saint Peter ...
. Catherine was vexed when she received the plans, which were far more elaborate than she expected, "a grandiose Roman palace" described "as the
Baths of Caracalla The Baths of Caracalla () in Rome, Italy, were the city's second largest Ancient Rome, Roman public baths, or ''thermae'', after the Baths of Diocletian. The baths were likely built between AD 212 (or 211) and 216/217, during the reigns of empero ...
set into
Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa (; ) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the ruins and archaeological remains of a large Roman villa, villa complex built around AD 120 by Roman emperor Hadrian near Tivoli, Italy, Tivoli outside Rome. It is the most impos ...
." There is no evidence that Clérisseau was ever paid for the rejected plans. Nevertheless, in 1778 Catherine again approached him, through an emissary, and arranged to purchase over a thousand drawings and artworks from him; this huge cache would ultimately find a home in the Hermitage. In 1780 she asked Clérisseau to design a triumphal arch to be built in Russia, but when the plans arrived she decided the gigantic project would be too large and expensive and abandoned it. Although his projects for Catherine never came to fruition, Clérisseau's drawings and designs were highly influential in the decoration of her apartments at
Tsarskoye Selo Tsarskoye Selo (, , ) was the town containing a former residence of the Russian House of Romanov, imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the center of Saint Petersburg. The residence now forms part of the Pushkin, Saint Peter ...
. In recognition of his artistic achievements and his efforts on her behalf, the empress made Clérisseau an honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Arts and bestowed on him the title ''Premier Architecte de Sa Majestée Impériale''. For the Hôtel Grimod de La Reynière, built in Paris in 1775, Clérisseau and Étienne de La Vallée Poussin executed the first decorative scheme in Europe to be inspired by the recent archaeological discoveries at
Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...
and Herculanum. A set of eight painted ''
boiserie Panelling (or paneling in the United States) is a millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials. Panelling was developed in antiquity ...
s'' depicting sixteen scenes from the life of Achilles were sold in 1850 and are now in the collection of the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
in London. In 1785, Clérisseau was retained by
Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...
to produce designs for the Virginia State Capitol, based on the
Maison Carrée Maison (French for "house") may refer to: People * Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress * Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist * Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837 * Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840), M ...
, the ancient Roman temple in
Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
. At the time, Jefferson was residing in Paris, serving as American Minister to France. Jefferson wrote that "it was a considerable time before I could find an architect whose taste had been formed on a study of ancient models of this art; the style of architecture in this capital
aris Aris or ARIS may refer to: People * Aris (surname) Given name * Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer * Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player * Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano * Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter * Aris Konstantinidis, Greek architect * ...
being far from chaste." Clérisseau, he noted, "has studied 20 years in Rome, and has given proofs of his skill and taste by a publication of some antiquities of this country." Jefferson was referring to the first (and only) volume in Clérisseau's intended series ''Antiquités de la France,'' published in Paris in 1778 with the subtitle ''Monumens de Nismes''. The folio included detailed engravings of the
Maison Carrée Maison (French for "house") may refer to: People * Edna Maison (1892–1946), American silent-film actress * Jérémy Maison (born 1993), French cyclist * Leonard Maison, New York state senator 1834–1837 * Nicolas Joseph Maison (1771–1840), M ...
, which Jefferson praised as "one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful and precious morsel of architecture left us by antiquity." "Clérisseau's role in designing the Capitol has been much debated. Fiske Kimball argues persuasively that the building is essentially Jefferson's and that Clérisseau was merely a consultant."


Clérisseau in museums and exhibitions

Clérisseau created works on paper using a variety of media, often in combination, including pencil, chalk, ink, watercolor, and gouache. Many of his works were reproduced as etchings by engravers including Domenico Cunego (the series ''Views of Antique Buildings and Famous Ruins in Italy''), Francesco Bartolozzi, Francesco Zucchi and Paolo Santini. In his lifetime, Clérisseau exhibited works at the
Paris Salon The Salon (), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the ...
in 1773, 1775, 1883, and 1808. The largest cache of Clérisseau's work is in the collection of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. An exhibition of these works was presented in 1995 at the Louvre in Paris, and in 1996 at the Hermitage; an illustrated catalogue with notes and essays was published in 1995 in Paris by Editions de la Réunion des Musées Nationaux. Large groups of works by of Clérisseau are also conserved at
Sir John Soane's Museum Sir John Soane's Museum is a Historic house museum, house museum, located next to Lincoln's Inn Fields in Holborn, London, which was formerly the home of Neoclassical architecture, neo-classical architect John Soane. It holds many drawings and ...
in London (four drawings and twenty-two works in gouache can be seen at the museum's web site) and at the
Fitzwilliam Museum The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities University museum, museum of the University of Cambridge. It is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge. It was founded in 1816 under the will of Richard ...
,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
. Works by Clérisseau are also in the collections of the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
, the Musée Cantini in Marseille, the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
, the
Royal Collection Trust The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...
, the Whitworth Art Gallery at the
University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...
, the Albertina in Vienna, the
Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the S ...
, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
, the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Museum of Fine Arts (often abbreviated as MFA Boston or MFA) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the list of largest art museums, 20th-largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains 8,161 painting ...
, the Fleming Museum of Art at the
University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...
, the Blanton Museum in Austin, the
Huntington Library The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, known as The Huntington, is a collections-based educational and research institution established by Henry E. Huntington and Arabella Huntington in San Marino, California, United State ...
in San Marino, California, and the
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
in San Francisco.


Clérisseau at auction

In 2019, a work by Clérisseau described as "Roman ruins with oriental staffage," was auctioned at Sotheby's for $32,500. In 2018, a work by Clérisseau described as "View of the interior of an antique Roman bath," signed, was auctioned at Sotheby's for £11,875. In 2016, a work by Clérisseau described as "A classical capriccio with figures by a great arch," signed and dated 1786, was auctioned at Christie's for £13,750 In 2015, a lot of two works by Clérisseau described as "The Arch of Titus, Rome; and The Forum of Nerva, Rome," both signed, was auctioned at Christie's for £20,000. In 2014, a lot of two works by Clérisseau described as "Ancient gate at Cumae near Naples; Grotto of Egeria on the Via Appia," both signed and dated 1769, was auctioned at Sotheby's for $20,000. In 2013, a work by Clérisseau described as "Capriccio of roman ruins, with figures in the foreground," signed, was auctioned at Sotheby's for £20,000. Also in 2013, a work by Clérisseau described as "A capriccio of Classical ruins with peasants in the foreground," signed and dated 1773, was auctioned at Sotheby's for $40,635. In 2012, a lot of two works by Clérisseau described as "Two architectural capricci with peasants, musicians and other figures frolicking among classical ruins," signed and dated 1773 and 1774, was auctioned at Christie's for $74,500. At the same auction, another lot of two works by Clérisseau described as "Architectural capriccio; and The Tomb of the Curiatii at Albano," the first signed and dated 1781, the second signed, was auctioned at Christie's for $11,250. In 2010, a lot of two works by Clérisseau described as "Interiors of a Roman Basilica with Figures," both signed and dated 1769, was auctioned at Christie's for £51,650.


Gallery (chronological)

File:Pont-de-gard-clerisseau-1804 (cropped).jpg, ''Vue générale du Pont du Gard'' (1804) from the boo
''Antiquités de la France''
(1788)
File:Clérisseau, Charles-Louis, Ornamentation in the Grotesque Style, between 1750 and 1755, Hermitage.jpg, Ornamentation in the Grotesque Style (between 1750 and 1755), Hermitage File:Clérisseau, Charles-Louis, Ornamentation in the Grotesque Style 2, between 1750 and 1755, Hermitage.jpg, Ornamentation in the Grotesque Style (between 1750 and 1755), Hermitage File:Clérisseau, Ruins of a Roman Bath, 1763, Royal Collection Trust.jpg, Ruins of a Roman Bath, 1763,
Royal Collection Trust The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...
File:Clérisseau, Ruins of an ancient bath, 1764, Fleming Museum, University of Vermont.jpg, Ruins of an ancient bath, 1764, Fleming Museum of Art,
University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...
File:Clerisseauanienetivoli69.jpg, Falls of the Aniene at Tivoli (1769),
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
File:Charles-louis clerisseau--interior of a roman basilica with figures--2--1769--christies.jpg, Interior of a Roman basilica with figures (1769), private collection. File:Charles-louis clerisseau--interior of a roman basilica with figures--1--1769--christies.jpg, Interior of a Roman basilica with figures (1769), private collection. File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, GROTTO OF EGERIA ON THE VIA APPIA, 1769, private collection.jpg, Grotto of Egeria on the Via Appia (1769), private collection File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Ancient Gate at Cumae near Naples, 1769, private collection.jpg, Ancient gate at Cumae near Naples (1769), private collection File:Clérisseau, Charles-Louis, Interior Decoration for useum of Catherine the Great, before 1773, Hermitage.jpg, Interior decoration for museum of
Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
(before 1773), Hermitage File:Clerisseau, Plan of Antique House of Catherine the Great, 1773, Hermitage.jpg, Plan of Antique House of
Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
(1773), Hermitage File:Clerisseau--architectural capriccio with peasants--1773--christies.jpg, Architectural capriccio with peasants (1773), private collection. File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, A Capriccio of Roman Ruins with Peasants in the Foreground, 1773, private collection.jpg, Capriccio of Roman ruins with peasants in the foreground (1773), private collection File:Clerisseau--architectural capriccio with peasants--1774--christies.jpg, Architectural capriccio with peasants (1774), private collection. File:Clérisseau, Achilles panel, Victoria and Albert Museum.jpg, Panel depicting an incident from the life of Achilles, 1770s,
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
File:Clérisseau, Achilles panel detail, Victoria and Albert Museum.jpg, Detail from a panel depicting an incident from the life of Achilles, 1770s,
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
File:Clerisseau--Capriccio of a Temple--Piraneseum.jpg, Capriccio of a temple (1781), private collection File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, An Overall Plan for the Road from St Petersburg to Moscow, 1781, Hermitage.jpg, Project of a Triumphal Arch for
Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
(1781), Hermitage File:Clerisseau--Architectural fantasy--1782--Hermitage.jpg, Architectural fantasy (1782), Hermitage File:Clerisseau--a classical capriccio with figures by a great arch--1786--christies.jpg, Capriccio with figures by a great arch (1786), private collection. File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Temple de Diane a Nîmes, etching by Poulleau from the book Antiquités de la France, 1788.jpg, Ruins of the Temple of Diana at Nîmes, etching by Poulleau from ''Antiquités de la France'' (1788) File:Clerisseau--oval--Arch of the Argentieri in Rome with figures in the foreground--1789--christies.jpg, Arch of the Argentieri in Rome with figures in foreground (1789), private collection. File:Domenico Cunego after Charles-Louis Clérisseau, etching of the Amphitheatre of Capua--before 1794--V&A.jpg, Domenico Cunego after Clérisseau, etching of the Amphitheatre of Capua (before 1794),
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
File:Domenico Cunego after Charles-Louis Clérisseau, etching of the Amphitheatre of Benventum--V&A.jpg, Domenico Cunego after Clérisseau, etching of the Amphitheatre of Benventum (before 1794),
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...


Gallery (undated works)

File:Clerisseau, Allegory of Music, n.d., Louvre.jpg, Allegory of Music, n.d.,
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
File:Clerisseau, Baths in ruins, n.d., Louvre.jpg, Baths in ruins, n.d.,
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
File:Clérisseau, Capriccio with Classical Ruins, n.d., The Whitworth, University of Manchester.jpg, Capriccio with Classical ruins, n.d., Whitworth Art Gallery,
University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...
File:Clerisseau--Architectural Fantasy with Roman Ruins--Met.jpg, Architectural fantasy with Roman ruins, n.d.,
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
File:Clerisseau--arch of constantine--legion of honor--san francisco.jpg, Arch of Constantine, n.d.,
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
, San Francisco File:Clerisseau--Ruins of a Roman arch, n.d., watercolor on paper, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.jpg, Ruins of a Roman arch, n.d.,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Museum of Fine Arts (often abbreviated as MFA Boston or MFA) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the list of largest art museums, 20th-largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains 8,161 painting ...
File:Clérisseau, Roman Ruins, nd, Royal Collection Trust.jpg, Roman ruins, n.d.,
Royal Collection Trust The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King Charles III and overseen by the ...
File:Clerisseau--building on the banks of the Tiber--albertina--vienna (cropped).jpg, Building on the banks of the Tiber, n.d., Albertina, Vienna File:Clerisseau--Landscape with a path, garden wall and column--albertina--vienna.jpg, Landscape with a path, garden wall and column, n.d., Albertina, Vienna File:Clerisseau--Staircase of Castel Gandolfo near Rome--watercolor--albertina--vienna.jpg, Staircase of Castel Gandolfo near Rome, n.d., Albertina, Vienna File:Clerisseau--Tomb of the Curiatii and Horatii on the Appian Way--Piraneseum.jpg, Tomb of the Curiatii and Horatii on the Appian Way, n.d., private collection File:Clerisseau--Anfiteatro Flavio a Pozzuoli--ND--liveauctioneers.jpg, Flavian Amphitheater in Pozzuoli, n.d., private collection. File:Clerisseau--forum of nerva in Rome--ND--christies.jpg, Forum of Nerva in Rome, n.d., private collection. File:Clerisseau--arch of titus rome--nd--christies.jpg, Arch of Titus in Rome, n.d., private collection. File:Clerissea--femmes a la fontaine pres dun arc en ruines--ND--christies.jpg, Women at a fountain amid ruins, n.d., private collection. File:Clerisseau--Architectural fantasy--nd--Christies.jpg, Architectural fantasy, n.d., private collection. File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Capriccio of Roman Ruins with Figures in the Foregound, undated, private collection.jpg, Capriccio of Roman ruins with figures in the foregound, n.d., private collection File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, ROMAN RUINS WITH ORIENTAL STAFFAGE, undated, private collection.jpg, Roman ruins with oriental staffage, n.d., private collection File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, VIEW OF THE INTERIOR OF AN ANTIQUE ROMAN BATH, undated, private collection.jpg, View of the interior of an antique Roman bath, n.d., private collection File:Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Caprice architectural animé de personnages.jpg, Figures in a capriccio, n.d., private collection


References


Sources

*Adam, Robert
''Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia''
London: Printed for the Author, 1764. *Bellier de La Chavignerie, Émile; Auvray, Louis
"Clérisseau (Charles-Louis)
entry in ''Dictionnaire général des artistes de l'École française depuis l'origine des arts du dessin jusqu'à nos jours: architectes, peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs et lithographes''. Paris: 1882-1885, vol. I, p. 465. *''Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721-1820): Dessins du Musée de l'Ermitage, Saint-Pétersbourg'' xposition, Musée du Louvre, du 21 Septembre au 18 Décembre 1995 Paris: Editions de la Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1995. *Clérisseau, Charles-Louis (1778)
''Antiquités de la France, Prèmiere partie: Monumens de Nismes''
Paris: P.D. Pièrres. * *Eustace, Katherine
"Robert Adam, Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Michael Rysbrack and the Hopetoun Chimneypiece"
''The Burlington Magazine'', Vol. 139, No. 1136 (Nov., 1997), pp. 743-752. * *Hafertepe, Kenneth
"An Inquiry into Thomas Jefferson's Ideas of Beauty"
''Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians'', Vol. 59, No. 2 (June, 2000), pp. 216-231. *Hopkinson, Martin
"Cunego's Engravings after Gavin Hamilton"
''Print Quarterly'', Vol. 26, No. 4 (Dec 2009), pp. 364-369. *Kimball, Fiske. "Thomas Jefferson and the First Monument of the Classical Revival in America," ''Journal of the American Institute of Architects'', Sept., Oct., and Nov. 1915. *Kimball, Fiske. ''Thomas Jefferson, Architect'', Boston, 1916. * Includes as Appendix C, pp. 221-224, a list of signed and dated works by Clérisseau. *McCormick, Thomas, J
"An Unknown Collection of Drawings by Charles-Louis Clérisseau"
''Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians'', Vol. 22, No. 3 (Oct., 1963), pp. 119-126. *Neverov, Oleg
"Catherine the Great: Public and Private Collector"
''The British Art Journal'', Vol. 2, No. 2, (Winter 2000/2001), pp. 121-126. *O'Brien, Charles H
"New Light on the Mouton-Natoire Case (1768): Freedom of Conscience and the Role of the Jansenists"
''Journal of Church and State'', Vol. 27, No. 1 (Winter 1985), pp. 65-82. *Skinner, Basil
"Nineteen Drawings by C. L. Clérisseau"
''The Burlington Magazine'', vol. 105, issue 721, April 1963, pp. 160-162. *Speler, Ralf-Torsten. ''Clérisseau, V. Erdmannsdorff, and Jefferson: The Dessau-Woerlitz Early Classicist Period and German-American Relations in Art and Culture in the Age of Enlightenment''. Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 1989.


External links


Works by Clérisseau at the Hermitage
��almost 200 items with images and catalogue notes (a small percentage of the museum's extensive Clérisseau collection)
Clérisseau page
a
Piraneseum

Born on this Day: Charles-Louis Clérisseau
��essay about the artist illustrated with works from the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
, including a portrait by Angelika Kauffmann thought to depict Clérisseau.
Sir John Soane's Museum Collection Online
��a search for "Clérisseau" finds four drawings and twenty-two works in gouache by the artist. {{DEFAULTSORT:Clerisseau, Charles-Louis 1721 births 1820 deaths Artists from Paris 18th-century French architects French neoclassical architects French neoclassical painters French antiquarians French draughtsmen French male non-fiction writers Members of the Imperial Academy of Arts