Exposition à la Villa Théo – “Théophile Jean Delaye, des Alpes à l’Atlas”

At the start of the First World War, this mountain enthusiast joined the Alpine Hunters.

Having passed through Saint-Cyr and appointed to the rank of lieutenant, he trained in topography and, in 1922, was posted to North Africa, then under French protectorate.

He became head of the Topographical Section of the Geographical Service of Morocco in 1932 and did not leave this country until 1960. His duties led him to draw up the first maps of Morocco. His most remarkable work remains the map of the Toubkal massif (highest point of the High Atlas) which combines scientific rigor and artistic quality.

But, alongside his cartographic work, Théophile-Jean Delaye produced an important pictorial work: several hundred watercolors, washes, gouaches and drawings.

These generally very luminous works combine very mastered drawing with a very wide palette of colors which change greatly depending on whether it represents the Atlas or the Alps.

This exhibition pays tribute to this discreet man who led, with talent and humility, a career as a military topographer in Morocco and activities as an artist.

His works were presented at the Royal Library of Morocco in Rabat in 2011, at the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum in Marrakech in 2022, in partnership with the MUCEM in Marseille, and at the Museum of Art and Archeology in Valence in 2022- 23.