Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire
Encyclopedia
Jean Henri Jaume Saint-Hilaire (October 29, 1772 – 1845) was a French
naturalist
and artist, born in Grasse
, France
.
who had been involved in the Reign of Terror
, during the French Revolution
. He served in the French Army during the Italian campaign
, before returning to civilian life in 1800. He then returned to Paris
and resumed his studies, especially natural history. He wrote a guide to the new Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
, and learned floral painting from Gérard van Spaendonck
(1746-1822).
In 1805 he wrote his first important publication: Exposition des familles naturelles et de la germination des plantes, contentant la description de 2 337 genres et d'environ 4 000 espèces, 112 planches dont les figures ont ete dessinées par l'auteur [An exposition about natural families and the germination of plants, containing the description of 2,337 genera and about 4,000 species, 112 plates whose figures were drawn by the author]. In it, he popularized the classification of Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836). During 1808-1809 and 1819-1822, Jaume published ten volumes about French plants: Plantes de la France décrites et peintes d’après nature [French plants described and painted from nature], grouping together one thousand engravings that he had made himself.
Jaume was quite interested in forests, and became a member of Société Royale d’Agriculture in 1831. He also became interested in the culture of Wrightia tinctoria
, a member of the plant family Apocynaceae
used for its dyeing qualities.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
and artist, born in Grasse
Grasse
-See also:*Route Napoléon*Ancient Diocese of Grasse*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department-External links:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Biography
Born as Jaume, he added Saint-Hilaire later. Some biographers indicate that this addition was to distinguish himself from a family member, Henri-Honore Jaume, a JacobinJacobin (politics)
A Jacobin , in the context of the French Revolution, was a member of the Jacobin Club, a revolutionary far-left political movement. The Jacobin Club was the most famous political club of the French Revolution. So called from the Dominican convent where they originally met, in the Rue St. Jacques ,...
who had been involved in the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
, during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He served in the French Army during the Italian campaign
French Revolutionary Wars: Campaigns of 1796
The French Revolutionary Wars continued from 1795, with the French in an increasingly strong position as members of the First Coalition made separate peaces. Austria and Great Britain were the main remaining members of the coalition...
, before returning to civilian life in 1800. He then returned to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and resumed his studies, especially natural history. He wrote a guide to the new Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
, and learned floral painting from Gérard van Spaendonck
Gerard van Spaendonck
Gerard van Spaendonck was a Dutch painter.Gerard was born in Tilburg, an older brother of Cornelis van Spaendonck , who was also a renowned artist. In the 1760s he studied with decorative painter Willem Jacob Herreyns in Antwerp...
(1746-1822).
In 1805 he wrote his first important publication: Exposition des familles naturelles et de la germination des plantes, contentant la description de 2 337 genres et d'environ 4 000 espèces, 112 planches dont les figures ont ete dessinées par l'auteur [An exposition about natural families and the germination of plants, containing the description of 2,337 genera and about 4,000 species, 112 plates whose figures were drawn by the author]. In it, he popularized the classification of Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu (1748-1836). During 1808-1809 and 1819-1822, Jaume published ten volumes about French plants: Plantes de la France décrites et peintes d’après nature [French plants described and painted from nature], grouping together one thousand engravings that he had made himself.
Jaume was quite interested in forests, and became a member of Société Royale d’Agriculture in 1831. He also became interested in the culture of Wrightia tinctoria
Wrightia
Wrightia is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the Apocynaceae family, native to tropical Africa, Asia and Australia...
, a member of the plant family Apocynaceae
Apocynaceae
The Apocynaceae or dogbane family is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas.Many species are tall trees found in tropical rainforests, and most are from the tropics and subtropics, but some grow in tropical dry, xeric environments. There are also perennial herbs...
used for its dyeing qualities.
Partial list of his publications
- La flore et la pomone françaises: histoire et figure en couleur, des fleurs et des fruits de France ou naturalisés sur le sol français. (Published by the author: Paris, Rue Furstemberg, 1828-1833).
- Traité des arbres forestiers: ou histoire et description des arbres indigènes ou naturalisés. A work preceded by une instruction sur la culture des arbres, by M. Thouin. (Printed by Firmin Didot, Paris, 1824).
- Traité des arbrisseaux et des arbustes cultivés en France et en pleine terre. (Published by the author: Paris, 1825).
Source
- Roger L. Williams (1988), Gerard and Jaume: Two Neglected Figures in the History of Jussiaean Classification (Part Three). Taxon, Vol. 37 (2, May, 1988) : 233-271.