Thierry Despont

Thierry Despont, best-known for his architectural practice—for his integral role in the restoration of the Statue of Liberty, his re-imagining of the Ritz in Paris, and the interiors of the Getty Center (as well as for his notable private clients like Bill Gates and Calvin Klein)—was nevertheless an accomplished painter, sculptor, author, and furniture maker. This sculpture, a paragon of balance and refinement, assimilates Despont's interests in astronomy and engineering toward an elegant result.

Says Benoist F. Drut of Maison Gerard: "In 1995, when Thierry W. Despont participated in a NYC show house (I believe it was the only one he ever did), he created an intimate boudoir out of the grand mezzanine of the ballroom in that Upper East Side mansion. I still remember vividly this beautiful sculpture - it appeared light and effortless, though it is actually a heavy object. 30 years later, after Thierry's passing, his daughters invited me to the architectural studio, and I recognized immediately this sculpture. I particularly love its combination of two-tone metals (brass and steel)."