Geneva-born artist Jacques-Laurent Agasse (1767 - 1849) was a landscape and animal painter from Switzerland. He studied in the public art school of Geneva. Before the age of 20, he went to Paris to study in veterinary school so as to fully acquaint himself with the anatomy of horses and other animals. Agasse owed his artistic fortune to an accident. Some years back when he was in Switzerland, a rich Englishman’s favorite dog died and he asked Agasse him to paint it. The Englishman was so pleased with his painting that he took Agasse with him to England. Agasse became one of the most celebrated animal painters in the late the 18th and the early 19th centuries. Much has been said of his special fondness for the English racehorses, of his extreme devotion to art, of his marvelous knowledge of anatomy, and his excellence in depicting them.
Agasse’s name appeared first in 1801 in the Academy catalogues as the exhibitor of the 'Portrait of a Horse.' Since then he continued to exhibit more or less until 1845. In these catalogues his name is given as Agassé or J.L. Agasse. The number of times he changed his address confirms the assertion by Redgrave that "he lived poor and died poor." However, Agasse did not work for money, but he was just urged forward by the force of natural genius which he couldn’t resist. Agasse’s name is also featured in L'Antiquaire, the French thriller, with some works, like a painting of two Leopards, credited to him, and many others.
