Étienne Lenoir (instrument maker)

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Étienne Lenoir (born March 1, 1744 in Mer près de Blois ( Loir-et-Cher ), † 1832 in Paris ) was a French instrument maker .

Not much is known about Lenoir's youth. He was born in 1744 as the son of a stonemason . As a man from a humble background, his schooling was likely to have been short-lived, after which he completed an apprenticeship as a locksmith . Nevertheless, he went from being (almost) illiterate to being a recognized instrument maker.

Cercle de réflexion no.75 by Lenoir

In 1772 Lenoir entered a Parisian workshop of instrument makers as a partner. In 1774 he received the title of engineer in physics and mathematics . He quickly became known through his collaboration with Jean-Charles de Borda . Borda recognized Lenoir's special abilities and in 1783 entrusted him with the construction of his reflection circle . In 1788 Lenoir was finally appointed engineer of the king (French: Ingénieur du Roi ) as one of the first seven members of this body. This title was intended to protect deserving engineers from regulation by the guilds and to give them room to develop. From 1792 Lenoir mainly worked for the Commission des Poids et Mesures .

While instrument makers in England were on equal terms with scientists, there was a clear social gap between these two groups in France. During the years of the Revolution , Lenoir received several awards.

Lenoir made the provisional standard meter in brass in 1794 . The two final original meters, which were also signed by him, were made in platinum on behalf of Borda in 1799 for the Commission des Poids et Mesures . One copy has been deposited in the archive.

Lenoir made a large part of the instruments used in triangulating the route from Dunkirk to Barcelona from 1792 to 1798. In particular, the expedition's Borda circles were products of his workshop. Employees from Lenoir's workshop were involved in this meridian expedition of the Académie, Bellet as assistant to Jean-Baptiste Joseph Delambre on the northern expedition and Esteveny as assistant to Pierre Méchain on the southern expedition.

Lenoir's son Paul-Étienne Lenoir was involved in mapping Egypt as part of Napoleon's Egyptian expedition . After his father's departure, he successfully continued to run his father's workshop from 1800 or 1815.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul Murdin, p. 93.
  2. ↑ Maurice Daumas, p. 103
  3. ↑ »… il obtient le titre d'ingénieur de physique et mathématiques en 1774 moins de deux ans après son arrivée à Paris.« IREM Biography of Lenoir ( Memento of 6 May 2009 in the Internet Archive ) accessed on 9 September 2010
  4. ↑ Maurice Daumas, p. 100
  5. ↑ Maurice Daumas, p. 105; Paul Murdin, pp. 93f.
  6. ↑ Maurice Daumas, p. 102 and p. 105; Paul Murdin p. 93f.
  7. ↑ Maurice Daumas, p. 132

literature

  • Maurice Daumas: Scientific Instruments of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries and their Makers. Portman, London 1989, ISBN 0-7134-0727-1 .
  • Ken Alder : The Measure of all things. Free Press, New York 2002, ISBN 0-7432-1675-X .
  • Paul Murdin: Full Meridian of Glory. Copernicus Books / Springer, New York 2009, ISBN 978-0-387-75533-5 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lenoir, Etienne
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French instrument maker
DATE OF BIRTH March 1, 1744
PLACE OF BIRTH Mer près de Blois ( Loir-et-Cher department )
DATE OF DEATH 1832
Place of death Paris