Portret van Pierre Joseph Pelletier 1835 - 1851

This is Nicolas Maurin’s lithograph of Pierre Joseph Pelletier. It’s a black and white print, likely produced in France during the first half of the 19th century. Pelletier was a pioneering chemist and pharmacist. The portrait memorializes a figure of scientific authority, a man of the burgeoning modern era. Look at his confident gaze and the meticulous detail in his clothing, which mark him as a figure of importance. The artist’s emphasis on the sitter’s intellectual intensity speaks to the growing cultural prestige of science in 19th-century Europe. Understanding this image requires delving into the social and institutional history of French science during this time. What role did institutions like the École Polytechnique play in shaping scientific identity? How did the rise of industrial capitalism influence scientific research? These are just some of the questions historians explore, using sources like scientific publications and institutional records, to fully understand the cultural significance of works like this.