Bernard d'Agesci

In 1779, encouraged by this, he left Niort to visit the museums in Paris and pursue a career in art at the Académie Royale.

[1] Four years later, he was sent to the Villa Medici in Rome, as a pensioner of King Louis XVI, under the sponsorship of Joseph-Marie Vien.

He created a small museum there and was involved in organizing their first public library, donating 20,000 volumes brought from Paris with the assistance of a local curé.

In addition to his paintings, he produced several altarpieces for the local churches and helped restore several buildings.

[clarification needed] His self-designed home, the Italian influenced Villa Rose, is now a historical landmark.