Egyptian Institute of Sciences and Arts
Encyclopedia
The Commission des Sciences et des Arts or "Commission of the Sciences and Arts" was a French learned body set up on 16 March 1798. It was made up of 167 members, of which all but 16 joined Napoleon Bonaparte
's invasion of Egypt and produced the Description de l'Égypte
. More than half were engineers and technicians, including 21 mathematicians, 3 astronomers, 17 civil engineers, 13 naturalists and mining engineers, geographers, 3 gunpowder engineers, 4 architects, 8 artists, 10 mechanical artists, 1 sculptor, 15 interpreters, 10 men of letters, 22 printers in Latin, Greek and Arabic characters. Bonaparte organised his scientific 'corps' like an army, dividing its members into 5 categories and assigning to each member a military rank and a defined military role (supply, billeting) beyond his scientific function.
.
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's invasion of Egypt and produced the Description de l'Égypte
Description de l'Egypte
Description de l'Égypte is the title of several books.* Description de l'Égypte - Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française Pub; First Edition , L'Imprimerie Imperiale, 1809-1813; l'Imprimerie...
. More than half were engineers and technicians, including 21 mathematicians, 3 astronomers, 17 civil engineers, 13 naturalists and mining engineers, geographers, 3 gunpowder engineers, 4 architects, 8 artists, 10 mechanical artists, 1 sculptor, 15 interpreters, 10 men of letters, 22 printers in Latin, Greek and Arabic characters. Bonaparte organised his scientific 'corps' like an army, dividing its members into 5 categories and assigning to each member a military rank and a defined military role (supply, billeting) beyond his scientific function.
Members
Some members - like Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Monge, or Vivant Denon - are universally remembered but most have been all but forgotten. Some became members of the Institut d'EgypteInstitut d'Égypte
The Institut d’Égypte was a learned academy formed by Napoleon Bonaparte to carry out research during his Egyptian campaign.-Early work:It first met on 24 August 1798, with Gaspard Monge as president, Bonaparte himself as vice-president and Joseph Fourier and Costaz as secretaries...
.
- Pierre-Onésime Adnès the elder (1760- ?), mechanic
- Simon-Onésime Adnès, (1780-1820), mechanic
- François Sébastien Aimé (1762-1843), mechanic
- Bertrand Alibert (1775-1808), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Felice Ansiglioni, printer (Oriental section)
- Antoine-Vincent ArnaultAntoine-Vincent ArnaultAntoine-Vincent Arnault was a French dramatist.Arnault was born in Paris. His first play, Marius à Minturne , immediately established his reputation. A year later he followed with a second republican tragedy, Lucrèce. Arnault left France during the Reign of Terror, but on his return, he was...
(1766-1834), writer - Pierre Arnollet (1776-1857), polytechnician (X 1796), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Charles-Louis BalzacCharles-Louis BalzacCharles-Louis Balzac, who was born in Paris in 1752, was an architect and architectural draughtsman. He made many drawings for Denon's work on the monuments of Egypt, and also views of various interesting Egyptian buildings, such as the interior of the Mosque at Hassan, the Palace of Karnac, the...
(1752-1820), architect - Pierre Joseph de Beauchamp (1752-1801), astronomer and diplomat
- Beaudoin, printer (French section)
- B. Belletête (1778-1808), orientalist and interpreter
- Denis Samuel Bernard (1776-1853), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Claude Louis BertholletClaude Louis BertholletClaude Louis Berthollet was a Savoyard-French chemist who became vice president of the French Senate in 1804.-Biography:...
(1748-1822), chemist - Jacques Antoine Bertre (1776-1834), polytechnician (X 1794), geographical engineer
- Julien BessièresJulien BessièresHenri Géraud Julien, Chevalier Bessières et de l'Empire was a French scientist and diplomat. He was a cousin of marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières and Bertrand Bessières.-Life:...
(1777-1840), surgeon - BessonBessonEtymology:In central France dialects the word "besson" or "bisson" means "twin" and comes from Latin adverb "bis" .Besson may refer to:* Besson , a manufacturer of brass instruments...
, printer (French section) - Louis Victor Bodard (1765-1799), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- A.-N.-F. Bonjean (1775-1845), marine engineer
- Mathurin François Boucher (1778-1851), polytechnician (X 1794), ingénieur du génie maritime
- Jean-Baptiste Pierre Boudet (1748-1828), pharmacist in chief
- BoulangerBoulangerSeveral notable persons share the very typical French/Francophone surname Boulanger which is the equivalent of the English surname Baker, of the Italian surname Panettiere, etc.:...
, printer (French section) - L. S. Bourgeois
- BoyerBoyerBoyer is a surname which is derived from the Boii, a Celtic tribe that migrated from ancient Bohemia to many regions surrounding the Alps. Boyers in England may come from bowyer, meaning "bow maker" or "bow seller." In French, the surname may mean "ox guard" or "ox leader"...
, printer (French section) - Damien Bracevich (-1830), interpreter
- Maximilien de Caffarelli du Falga, general
- Caquet (-1799), artist
- Philippe Joseph Marie Caristie (1775-1852), polytechnicien (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Jean-Jacques CastexJean-Jacques CastexJean-Jacques Castex was a French sculptor.He participated in the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt. In January 1799, he accompanied the geographer Bertre in his travel to Fayoum. He was part of the committee led by Pierre Girard which left Cairo on 19 March 1799 to go to Upper Egypt...
(1731-1822), sculptor - François-Charles Cécile (1766-1840), mechanic
- comte Jacques Joseph Gaspard Antoine Chabrol de VolvicGaspard de ChabrolComte Gilbert Joseph Gaspard de Chabrol de Volvic was a French official. Graduating from an École Polytechnique in 1794, he was named prefect of the Seine by Napoleon in 1812, an office he held until 1833...
(1773-1843), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées - père Jacques-Pierre Champy (1744-1816), chemist
- Nicolas Champy (1776-1801), polytechnicien (X 1794), chemist
- Jean-Siméon Champy (1778-1845), polytechnicien (X 1794), gunpowder commissaire
- Jean François Chaumont (1774-1856), polytechnicien (X 1795), marine engineer
- Callixte-Victor Cirot (-1801), mechanic
- Jean Colin (-1801), mechanic
- H. V. Collet-Descotils (1773-1815), chemist
- Nicolas-Jacques ContéNicolas-Jacques ContéNicolas-Jacques Conté was a French painter, balloonist, army officer, and inventor of the modern pencil.He was born at Saint-Céneri-près-Sées in Normandy, and distinguished himself for his mechanical genius which was of great avail to the French army in Egypt...
(1755-1805), director of mechanics - Ernest Coquebert de Monbret (1780-1801), botanist
- Jean Baptiste Corabœuf (1777-1859), polytechnician (X 1794), capitaine en premier dans le corps des ingénieurs géographes
- Louis Alexandre de Corancez (1770-1832), geometer
- Pierre Louis Antoine CordierLouis CordierPierre Louis Antoine Cordier was a French geologist and mineralogist, and a founder of the French Geological Society...
(1777-1861), mineralogist - Louis CostazLouis CostazLouis, baron Costaz Louis, baron Costaz Louis, baron Costaz (17 March 1767, Champagne-en-Valromey (Bugey – 15 February 1842, Paris was a French scientist and administrator.His brother Gastroass was bishop of Nancy. After studying maths, he taught at the military school at Thiron until 1793,...
(1767-1842), geometer - Jean-Marie-Joseph CoutelleJean-Marie-Joseph CoutelleJean-Marie-Joseph Coutelle was a French engineer, scientist and pioneer of ballooning.-Life:...
(1748-1835), adjunct to the director of mechanics - CouvreurCouvreurCouvreur may refer to :* Bénédicte Couvreur, a French film producer* Hilaire Couvreur , a Belgian cyclist* Jessie Catherine Couvreur , an Australian novelist* Joris Couvreur, a Belgian ambassador in Bogota, Colombia...
, mechanic - Jacques-Denis Delaporte (1777-1861), orientalist
- Dominique Vivant Denon (1747-1825), writer, artist
- DesfoursDesfoursDesfours is a noble family of French descent that originated in the Lorraine but became prominent in Bohemia during the 16th century. Their parent house is the Athienville from Luneville and Chateau-Salins...
, mechanic - A. J. Dewèvre (1775-1799), surgeon
- Déodat Gratet de DolomieuDéodat Gratet de DolomieuDieudonné Sylvain Guy Tancrède de Dolomieu usually known as Déodat de Dolomieu was a French geologist; the rock dolomite and the largest summital crater on the Piton de la Fournaise volcano were named after him.Déodat de Dolomieu was born in Dauphiné, France, one of 11 children of the Marquis de...
(1750-1801), mineralogist and geologist - G. de Dominicis, printer (Oriental section)
- Antoine Dubois (1756-1837), doctor
- Isidore Dubois (1782- ?), surgeon
- Nicolas Dubois (1776- ?), polytechnician (X 1794), printer (French section)
- Jean-Marie Dubois-Aymé (1779-1846), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Louis Duchanoy (1781-1847), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Jacques Auguste Dulion (1776-1798), polytechnician (X 1795)
- Victor Dupuis (1777-1861), polytechnician (X 1794), ingénieur géographe
- André DutertreAndré DutertreAndré Dutertre was a French painter.-Life:A professor at the école gratuite de dessin, his students included Vien and Collet....
(1753-1842), painter - Léonard Duval (1768-1798), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Ch. M. Eberhardt (1782- ?), printer (French section)
- Elias Fatalla, head of the printer (Oriental section)
- J.-P. Faurie (1760-1799), geographical engineer
- Louis Joseph Favier (1776-1855), polytechnician (X 1796), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Hervé Charles Antoine Faye (1763-1825), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- J.-L. Féraud (1750-1809)
- Jean Baptiste Simon Fèvre (1775-1850), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Pierre Denis Fouquet, artist
- Joseph FourierJoseph FourierJean Baptiste Joseph Fourier was a French mathematician and physicist best known for initiating the investigation of Fourier series and their applications to problems of heat transfer and vibrations. The Fourier transform and Fourier's Law are also named in his honour...
(1768-1830), geometer - Antoine GallandAntoine Galland (1763-1851)Antoine Galland was a publisher and printer during the French Revolution and First Empire. As a printer he joined the Commission des Sciences et des Arts, a body of technical experts sent to Egypt in 1798 to aid the work of the French expeditionary force in its successful invasion...
(1763-1851), printer (French section) - Étienne Geoffroy Saint-HilaireÉtienne Geoffroy Saint-HilaireÉtienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was a French naturalist who established the principle of "unity of composition". He was a colleague of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and expanded and defended Lamarck's evolutionary theories...
(1772-1844), naturalist - Alexandre Sébastien Gérard (1779-1853), polytechnician (X 1798), naturalist
- Pierre-Simon Girard (1765-1835), chief engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Alexis Gloutier (1758-1800), administrator
- Philippe Greslé (1776-1846), polytechnician (X 1795), shipbuilder
- Jean Charles Hassenfratz (1766-1834), mechanic
- François Michel Hérault (-1800), mechanic
- Jean-Baptiste Hochu (1775- ?), mechanic
- Pierre JacotinPierre JacotinPierre Jacotin was named director of all the surveyors and geographers working in the Nile Valley in 1799 during the campaign in Egypt of Napoleon. After his return from Egypt, Jacotin worked on preparing the plates for publication, but in 1808 Napoleon formally forbade publication of any map of...
(1765-1827), geographical engineer - JardinJardinJardín is a town in Antioquia, Colombia. It has a population of about 17,000 people.-Description:Jardin is a town located in southwestern Antioquia. It has abundant flora and fauna, specially birds. It is 134 kilometers away from the capital city Medellin. The first inhabitants were indigenous...
, printer (French section) - Pierre Amédée JaubertPierre Amédée JaubertPierre Amédée Emilien Probe Jaubert was a French diplomat, academic, orientalist, translator, politician, and traveler. He was Napoleon's "favourite orientalist adviser and dragoman".-Biography:...
(1779-1847), orientalist and interpreter - Jean-Baptiste Prosper JolloisJean-Baptiste Prosper JolloisJean-Baptiste Prosper Jollois was a French engineer who together with Édouard de Villiers du Terrage journeyed with Napoleon to Egypt, and prepared the Description de l'Égypte....
(1776-1842), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées, entrusted with the hydraulic works in the Nile DeltaNile DeltaThe Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich... - Louis Auguste Joly (1774-1798), painter
- Edme François Jomard (1777-1862), polytechnician (X 1794), geographical engineer and archaeologist
- Jean-Baptiste Jomard (1780-1868), student geographical engineer
- Jean Joseph Labâte (1766-1835), doctor
- Jean-Baptiste Lacipière (1776- ?), surgeon
- Michel Ange LancretMichel Ange LancretMichel Ange Lancret , was an engineer with the French Corps of Bridges and Roads.He was a student of the École Polytechnique in 1794, became an Engineer of Bridges and Roads in 1797, and was a savant who accompanied Napoleon's 1798 campaign in Egypt as a member of the Commission des Sciences et des...
(1774-1807), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées - LaporteLaporte-Places:Canada* Laporte , a provincial electoral district in QuebecUnited States*La Porte, California*Laporte, Colorado*La Porte, Indiana*LaPorte County, Indiana*La Porte City, Iowa*Laporte, Michigan*Laporte, Minnesota...
(-1799), printer (French section) - François Laroche (1778-1806), polytechnician (X 1795), geographical engineer
- Le Brun (-1801)
- Bienheureux Lecesne (1772-1827), geographical engineer
- Louis Marie Leduc (1772- ?), antiquary
- Pierre Eustache Leduc (-1799), geographical engineer
- Marie Jules César Lelorgne de SavignyMarie Jules Cesar Lelorgne de SavignyMarie Jules César Lelorgne de Savigny , born on 5 April 1777 at Provins and died on 5 October 1851 at Galès in Yvelines, was a French zoologist. In 1805 he published Natural and Mythological History of the Ibis and between 1816 and 1820 the important Mémoires on the animals without vertebrae...
(1777-1851), zoologist - Lenoble, interprètre
- Pierre Lenoir (1776-1827), mechanic
- Jean-Baptiste LepèreJean-Baptiste LepèreJean-Baptiste Lepère was a French architect, father-in-law of the architect Jacques Hittorff. He was the designer of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul church, Paris, largely revised by Hittorf during its protracted execution, and one of the architects who worked on raising the colonne Vendôme.Lepère was one...
(1761-1844), architect - Gratien Le PèreGratien Le PèreGratien Le Père was a French civil engineer.A former classmate of Bonaparte at Brienne, he became an engineer of 'Ponts et Chaussées'...
(1769-1832), chief engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées - Jacques-Marie Le PèreJacques-Marie Le PèreJacques-Marie Le Père was a French civil engineer.-Life:He accompanied the French Campaign in Egypt and Syria, was director of 'Ponts et Chaussées' in Egypt...
(1763-1841), chief engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées - Lerouge (-1801), chemist
- Lethioux, printer (French section)
- J. F. L. Levesque (1760- ?), geographical engineer
- Santi Jean-Baptiste L'Homaca, interpreter
- Amable Nicolas Lhomond (1770-1854), mechanic
- F. Maccagni (1763-1846), printer (Oriental section)
- Jean-Joseph MarcelJean-Joseph MarcelJean-Joseph Marcel was a French printer and engineer. He was also a savant who accompanied Napoleon's 1798 campaign in Egypt as a member of the Commission des Sciences et des Arts, a corps of 167 technical experts....
(1776-1854), director of printers - Marlet, printer (French section)
- Pierre-Denis Martin (1771-1855), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Jérôme Isaac Méchain (1778-1851), astronome
- Antonio Mesabki, imprimeur section orientale
- Benoît Marie Moline de Saint-Yon (1780-1842), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Gaspard MongeGaspard MongeGaspard Monge, Comte de Péluse was a French mathematician, revolutionary, and was inventor of descriptive geometry. During the French Revolution, he was involved in the complete reorganization of the educational system, founding the École Polytechnique...
, comte de Péluse (1746-1818), mathematician - Hippolyte Nectoux (1759-1836), botanist
- Charles Norry (1756-1832), architect
- Nicolas-Antoine Nouet (1740-1811), astronomer
- Panhusen (-1798), orientalist and interpreter
- François-Auguste Parseval-GrandmaisonFrançois-Auguste Parseval-GrandmaisonFrançois-Auguste Parseval-Grandmaison was a French poet. He was the eleventh occupant of the Académie française seat 1 in 1811. He is buried in Pere-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.- References :*...
(1759-1834), writer - L. Pellegrini, printer (Oriental section)
- Charles Plazanet (1773-1868), mechanic
- Paul Nicaise Pottier (1778-1842), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Roland Victor Pottier (1775- ?), polytechnician (X 1795), ingénieur géographe
- François PouquevilleFrancois PouquevilleFrançois Charles Hugues Laurent Pouqueville was a French diplomat, writer, explorer, physician and historian, member of the ....
(1770-1838), surgeon - Pourlier, antiquary
- Jean Constantin Protain (1769-1837), architect
- J.-J. Puntis (1758-1812), printer (French section)
- François Marie Quenot (1761- ?), astronomer
- Alire Raffeneau-Delile (1778-1850), botanist
- Adrien Raffeneau-Delile (1773-1843), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Louis Rémy Raige (1777-1810), orientalist
- Henri-Joseph Redouté (1766-1852), painter
- Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'AngélyMichel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'AngélyMichel Louis Étienne Regnaud, later 1st Count Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély was a French politician.-Early activities:...
(1762-1819), politician - Joseph Angélique Sébastien Regnault (1776-1823), polytechnicien (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées, adjunct to Bertholet and entrusted with controlling the currency in Cairo
- G. Renno (1777-1848), printer (Oriental section)
- Henri Jean Rigel (1772-1852), compositor
- Michel Rigo (1770-1815), painter
- Louis Ripault (1775-1823), antiquary
- RivetRivetA rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
, printer (French section) - Alexandre Roguin (1771- ?), pharmacist
- N. Roselli, printer (French section)
- Pierre Charles Rouyer (1769-1831), pharmacist
- François Michel de RozièreFrançois Michel de RozièreFrançois Michel de Rozière was a French mining engineer.-Life:He was a member of the Commission des Sciences et des Arts during the French invasion of Egypt of 1798 and travelled up and down the Nile valley looking for stones of all kinds. In January 1799 he explored the Fayum region...
(1773-1842), mining engineer - C. Ruga, printer (Oriental section)
- Alexandre de Saint-Genis (1772-1834), polytechnician (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- André Louis de Saint-Simon (-1799), knight of Malta
- Pierre Simonel (-1810), geographical engineer
- Jean-Lambert TallienJean-Lambert TallienJean-Lambert Tallien , was a French political figure of the revolutionary period.-Clerk and journalist:He was the son of the maître d'hôtel of the Marquis de Bercy, and was born in Paris. The marquis, noticing his ability, had him educated, and got him a place as a lawyer's clerk...
(1767-1820), National ConventionNational ConventionDuring the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
member - Dominique Testevuide (1735-1798), chief geographical engineer
- Claude François Thévenod (1772-1798), polytechnicien (X 1794), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées
- Jean Michel de Venture de Paradis (1739-1799), chief interpreter
- VeryVeryVery may refer to:*Very *Very *Very, an album by Miki Furukawa*Very *Véry, a commune in the Meuse department in France*Very, a mail order store, part of the Shop Direct Group...
, printer (French section) - Jacques Antoine Viard (1783-1849), student of the École nationale des ponts et chausséesÉcole Nationale des Ponts et ChausséesFounded in 1747, the École nationale des ponts et chaussées , often referred to as les Ponts, is the world's oldest civil engineering school...
- René Édouard de Villiers du Terrage (1780-1855), polytechnician (X 1794), inspector general of the Ponts et Chaussées, employed in leveling the Suez isthmus
- Guillaume André Villoteau (1759-1839), musicographer
- Jean Pierre Séraphin Vincent (1779-1818), polytechnician (X 1796), marine engineer
- Louis Vincent (1780- ?), engineer of the Ponts et Chaussées