Antoine Alexandre Barbier
Encyclopedia
Antoine Alexandre Barbier (11 January 1765 – 5 December 1825) was a French
librarian
and bibliographer
.
He was born in Coulommiers
(Seine-et-Marne
). He took priest's orders, from which, however, he was finally released by the pope
in 1801. In 1794 he became a member of the temporary commission of the arts, and was charged with the duty of distributing among the various libraries of Paris
the books that had been confiscated during the French Revolution
. In the execution of this task he discovered the letters of Huet
, bishop of Avranches, and the manuscripts of the works of Fénelon.
He became librarian successively to the French Directory
, to the Conseil d'Etat, and in 1807 to Napoleon, from whom he carried out a number of commissions. He produced a standard work in his Dictionnaire des ouvrages anonymes et pseudonymes (4 vols., 1806—1809). Only the first part of his Examen critique des dictionnaires historiques (1820) was published.
He had a share in the foundation of the libraries of the Louvre
, of Fontainebleau
, of Compiègne
and Saint-Cloud
; under Louis XVIII
he became administrator of the king's private libraries, but in 1822 he was deprived of all his offices. Barbier died in Paris
, aged 60.
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...
librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
and bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
.
He was born in Coulommiers
Coulommiers
Coulommiers is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is also the name of a cheese of the Brie family produced in and around that city.-Twin towns:Coulommiers was twinned with Leighton Buzzard in 1958...
(Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
). He took priest's orders, from which, however, he was finally released by the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in 1801. In 1794 he became a member of the temporary commission of the arts, and was charged with the duty of distributing among the various libraries of 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...
the books that had been confiscated 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...
. In the execution of this task he discovered the letters of Huet
Pierre Daniel Huet
Pierre Daniel Huet was a French churchman and scholar, editor of the Delphin Classics, founder of the Academie du Physique in Caen and Bishop of Soissons from 1685 to 1689 and afterwards of Avranches.-Life:...
, bishop of Avranches, and the manuscripts of the works of Fénelon.
He became librarian successively to the French Directory
French Directory
The Directory was a body of five Directors that held executive power in France following the Convention and preceding the Consulate...
, to the Conseil d'Etat, and in 1807 to Napoleon, from whom he carried out a number of commissions. He produced a standard work in his Dictionnaire des ouvrages anonymes et pseudonymes (4 vols., 1806—1809). Only the first part of his Examen critique des dictionnaires historiques (1820) was published.
He had a share in the foundation of the libraries of the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
, of Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, of Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
and Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
; under Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
he became administrator of the king's private libraries, but in 1822 he was deprived of all his offices. Barbier died in 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...
, aged 60.
External links
- Jean Chrétien Ferdinand Hoefer. Nouvelle biographie générale depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours. Vol. 4 (BAA-BEA). 1859.