Gilles berthelot biography

He showed himself reserved in the extreme but brilliant at his lessons, distinguishing himself particularly in Latin verse. At fourteen Berthelot became a boarder; four years later he met Ernest Renan , whose room was adjacent to his in the pension. Renan was twenty-two and was employed as an assistant master. He undertook a rigorous program of reading, including languages and the main branches of science.

He obtained entry to the private laboratory of the chemist Pelouze, where he learned some practical chemistry. Berthelot accepted the post although it carried only a nominal salary; in his spare time he prepared for his doctorate. He also visited Italy and Germany during this time.

Gilles berthelot biography

Thus, until he was over thirty, Berthelot lived the life of a student, relying on his father for financial support. Berthelot became a leading advocate in France of science as an ideal with direct moral implications. Although his parents were Roman Catholic and brought him up in the same faith, he reacted to his philosophy course at school by soon questioning the validity of religion and becoming a skeptic.

In this he was influenced by Renan but also by his republican feelings, since the Roman Catholic Church in mid-nineteenth-century France was unsympathetic to radical thought. In his later writings Berthelot attacked clerical influence, particularly in education. His wife was a descendant of the famous clockmaker Breguet. The couple had six children.

They were devoted to each other for forty-five years, and within an hour of the death of Sophie Berthelot, Marcellin, who had tended her night and day, also died. Although he gave more attention to research than to teaching, he had a number of distinguished students, including Jungfteisch, Sabatier, and A. He was made permanent secretary of the latter in First nominated as chevalier of the Legion of Honor in , he received the highest grade, Grand-Croix , in His activities during the siege of Paris called much attention to himself, and in the election of he was given a large vote, although he had not put himself forward as a candidate.

He first took his seat in the Senate in In he was appointed to a War Ministry commission on explosives, and in , when a new commission on explosives was formed, Berthelot was named president. In July the Senate elected him to a permanent senatorship. Berthelot sat with the parties on the Left and spoke frequently on educational matters. In he presided over a commission on the laicization of primary education.

In , on the occasion of the opening of the Suez Canal , Berthelot visited Egypt, the country traditionally associated with the birth of chemistry; but it was not until that he committed to paper a few ideas on alchemy. Attracted both by the mysticism of the alchemists and by the connection of other parts of their art with the rational science he professed he began, to use his knowledge of Greek to interpret unpublished alchemical manuscripts.

Like Hermann Kopp, Berthelot took the view that alchemy had developed as a misunderstanding of the earlier empirical knowledge of Egyptian metalworkers. He and Kopp were the two nineteenth-century figures who were able not only to make outstanding contributions to chemistry but also to undertake an extensive study of its history. Berthelot studied the transmission of ancient alchemy to the Middle Ages.

He distinguished a practical tradition, exemplified by the Liberignium of Marcus Graecus, from a theoretical approach transmitted through Syriac and Arabic sources. In much of his alchemical studies Berthelot was dependent on his collaborators, who translated the original Syriac and Arabic manuscripts. His interpretation was, therefore, not faultless.

One detects special sympathy by the patriotic nineteenth-century French chemist for the eighteenth-century liberal who had also used his scientific knowledge to help his country. He regarded it as unreasonable to assign limits to the possible progress of science. He foresaw a Utopia through science that could be realized by the year In this new world he considered chemistry to have a central place not only because of its almost unlimited powers of synthesis but also through the exploitation of agriculture and natural resources.

Berthelot continually fought against clerical influence in education. He wanted a greater place for science in the school curriculum, but not at the expense of classical studies. The moral value of science for Berthelot lay not only in its respect for truth but also in its justification for work. Berthelot, like Claude Bernard , favored a positivistic philosophy.

It was in this spirit of accepting only the observable that he regarded atomic and molecular theories with great suspicion. Jungfleisch lists 1, titles of papers on inorganic, organic, physical, analytical, technical, agricultural, and physiological chemistry, as well as on the history of chemistry. His work in organic chemistry may, however, be singled out as being of special importance; and if his contributions to physical chemistry hold second place, even they may be considered as originating in the context of his interest in the reactions and formation of organic compounds.

This covers his work on alcohols and includes his early work on synthesis. In the fall of he published his definitive work on organic synthesis. This period is characterized by research and synthesis of acetylene, benzene, and aromatic compounds occurring in coal tar. At the end of this period Berthelot was using hydrogen iodide to reduce organic compounds.

The choice of this physical topic may have been inspired by his admiration for Regnault, but in the next year his deep interest in organic chemistry revealed itself. He studied the action of red heat on alcohol and acetic acid. It was already known that at high temperatures alcohol could be transformed into a crystalline solid, naphthalene.

Berthelot was able to show that in addition benzene and phenol were formed. Acetic acid at red heat produced naphthalene and benzene. This was one of the first examples of the use of the word synthesis to denote the production of organic compounds from their elements. Two compounds to which Berthelot gave considerable attention were oil of turpentine and camphor.

It was known that on reaction with hydrochloric acid, turpentine formed a hydrochloride, C 10 H In Berthelot showed that the reaction could be taken further to produce a product identical with oil of lemon. It was Berthelot who first discovered isomeric changes in oil of turpentine, from which he obtained the solid hydrocarbon camphene. He distinguished what we would now call d -pinene and l -pinene and d -, l -, and dl -camphene.

He found that camphene may be oxidized by chromic acid or by air in the presence of platinum black into a camphor like substance; in he proved that the product was true camphor. From to , it accommodated the National Department of Education. It is now managed by the National Historical Monuments Center. View of the west facade, Full arch on the grand staircase, Salamander and the ermine.

Coffered ceiling decorated with medallions portraits of the kings of France , The landscaped park, View of the pool, south Side, The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content. Online Exhibit AzayRenaissance.

What is this building site? Preserving the world's most outstanding places for future generations to enjoy. Interested in Design? Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly. You are all set! In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine. Comments Your name Submit Comments. Add New Comment. See all sites in Azay-le-Rideau.

Details Founded: Category: Castles and fortifications in France. More Information en. Rating 4. User Reviews. Paul Vivas 2 months ago Legendary castle! This is one of my favorite castles in France. Copy Facebook. By Ariane Triebswetter. Related Stories. Although its architect is unknown, the grand staircase is the most innovative element of Azay-le-Rideau, demonstrating the importance of Italian influences in 16th-century France.

Other key elements of this monumental staircase include the open bay windows and carved portraits of kings and queens of France. Here, the pillars framing the window are finely ornate with vegetable scrolls, medallions, putti, and shells.