Louis Gustave Taraval

Louis Gustave Taraval was a designer and artist active during the period 1750 to 1781, focusing predominantly on architectural and structural drawing. The seven known drawings representing his output are held in major public institutions, confirming his reputation as an important 18th-century draftsman.

His surviving works emphasize both ecclesiastical and civil architecture, demonstrating detailed knowledge of classical and neoclassical design principles. Noted examples in museum collections include two distinct versions titled Design for a Pulpit, as well as the religious architectural study, Facade for a Church with a Sculpture Representing Faith. Taraval also engaged in larger civic proposals, such as the ambitious Design for a Neoclassical Building, Thought to be a School of Arts for the City of Stockholm. Landscape and setting were occasionally integrated, evidenced by works like Hexagonal Temple in an Italianate Landscape.

Louis Gustave Taraval’s documented works are preserved in the permanent holdings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art. Due to the age of the original designs, much of his existing output is today in the public domain, allowing for access to high-quality prints and downloadable artwork for study.