Born
in Geneva in 1767,
Agasse was the son of
one of the oligarchic
families who governed
the republic. He
experienced a privileged
upbringing spending his
childhood summers on
their estate in Crevin.
While at the estate he
developed his love for
horses and farm animals
and spent his days
sketching and drawing.
He decided to enroll in
the Ecole du Calabri and
later studied under
David in Paris.
After briefly
returning to Geneva, he
moved to England in 1802
where he lived until his
death in 1849. He is
often referred to as the
Swiss Stubbs because of
his ability to re-create
the anatomy of animals.
His pictures are
sensitive to the
subjects and are very
naturalistic. His work
is regarded among the
finest of this period.
