Jean Claude Richard de Saint-Non was an 18th century archaeologist, draftsman and engraver. He traveled to Holland, England, Italy and in 1778 visited Paestum. Impressed by the places and by the archaeological excavations, he wrote Voyage pittoresque, ou description des royaumes de Naples et de Sicile. During his stay in Rome he protected some young French artists, including H. Robert, J.-H. Fragonard, who provided him with drawings for his engravings collections (Fragments de peintures… d'après les maîtres italiens, 1770–73 And Vues de Suisse, 1777–79). He was also a painter. In the encyclopedic work illustrated by himself Voyage pittoresque, ou description des royaumes de Naples et de Sicile, reports reports and impressions he collected between 1781 and 1786. This work of his has been illustrated with drawings by the best artists, partly reproduced by Saint-Non himself. A portrait of him, the work of his friend Jean-Honoré Fragonard, is kept in the Louvre Museum.
