Charles-Alexis-Adrien Duhérissier de Gerville
Encyclopedia
Charles-Alexis-Adrien Duhérissier de Gerville (Gerville-la-Forêt (Manche) 19 September 1769 — Valognes
(Manche) 26 July 1853) was a scholarly French antiquarian
, historian and naturalist, from an aristocratic family of Normandy
. His earliest concerns were with natural history
and botany
and his numismatic collection, but he became one of the small group forming the first architectural historians
in France
.
His early studies were at the college of Coutances
, followed by studies in the law at Caen
. With the outbreak of the French Revolution
, he joined other aristocratic emigré
s, travelled in England and fought in the First Coalition
or "Army of the Princes" and did not return until 1801, when he settled once again on his family estates at Gerville in Normandy and devoted his leisure to pursuing the local history of the Cotentin, from an antiquarian point-of-view. In 1811 he moved to Valognes (Manche)
, pursuing botanical field research
and the nascent field of geology
, and searching out ancient written materials that cast light on local history, while he undertook, from 1814 onwards, to compile a pioneering inventory of some four or five hundred churches of La Manche (Noell 2005); some of these materials were published as Voyage archéologique dans la Manche (1818-1820). He and his fellow members in the Société des Antiquaires de Normandie, founded in 1824— the abbé Gervais de la Rue in Rouen, Auguste Le Prévost
and Arcisse de Caumont
— virtually formed a "travelling school of architectural connoisseurship" (Noell).
In 1818 Duhérissier de Gerville used the expression ‘'romane’'— though in the sense of Romance languages
— in a letter to Auguste Le Prévost; Gerville's friend Arcisse de Caumont is more correctly accorded the honour of publicly applying, in French, the label Romane, i.e. "Romanesque"
style to architecture of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, in his Essaie sur l'architecture du moyen âge, particulièrement en Normandie, 1824. In fact the OED cites first uses in English of 1715 about the languages, and 1819 about the architectural style. It was a more inclusive, European term for the massive round-arched style that had been recognized in Norman work in England, where the term "Norman architecture
" was first used in 1817 by the antiquarian
Thomas Rickman
, in his published essay An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation: English architectural historians long retained the term "Norman" for that version of the Romanesque.
Duhérissier de Gerville was a correspondent of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
. He encouraged a local man of Valognes, Léopold Victor Delisle
by engaging him to copy manuscripts in his collection, and taught him enough of the basics of paleography that he was able to gain entrance to the École des Chartres in 1846, and pursue a distinguished scholarly career at the Bibliothèque National; he was a member of the general council for the département of La Manche, but withdrew at the time of the Revolution of 1830
and, a confirmed legitimist like others of the Antiquaires de la Normandie, refused the cross of the Légion d'honneur
offered him under Louis Philippe.
Gerville published papers and antiquarian notes on the towns and Roman road
s of the Cotentin peninsula, on Merovingian studies, and on Mont-Saint-Michel, which were collected as Études géographiques et historiques sur le département de la Manche, (Cherbourg 1854). Part of his rich collection of manuscripts he bequeathed to the archives of La Manche, and part to his protegé Léopold Delisle.
Duhérissier de Gerville is very likely to have been intended as the person honoured in the gastropod name Mitrella gervillii (Payraudeau 1826).
Valognes
Valognes is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It lies on the Merderet river, southeast of Cherbourg.-History:...
(Manche) 26 July 1853) was a scholarly French antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
, historian and naturalist, from an aristocratic family of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. His earliest concerns were with natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and his numismatic collection, but he became one of the small group forming the first architectural historians
Architectural History
Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...
in 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...
.
His early studies were at the college of Coutances
Coutances
Coutances is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town took the name of Constantia in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus...
, followed by studies in the law at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. With the outbreak of 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 joined other aristocratic emigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
s, travelled in England and fought in the First Coalition
First Coalition
The War of the First Coalition was the first major effort of multiple European monarchies to contain Revolutionary France. France declared war on the Habsburg monarchy of Austria on 20 April 1792, and the Kingdom of Prussia joined the Austrian side a few weeks later.These powers initiated a series...
or "Army of the Princes" and did not return until 1801, when he settled once again on his family estates at Gerville in Normandy and devoted his leisure to pursuing the local history of the Cotentin, from an antiquarian point-of-view. In 1811 he moved to Valognes (Manche)
Valognes
Valognes is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It lies on the Merderet river, southeast of Cherbourg.-History:...
, pursuing botanical field research
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and the nascent field of geology
History of geology
The history of geology is concerned with the development of the natural science of geology. Geology is the scientific study of the origin, history, and structure of the Earth. Throughout the ages geology provides essential theories and data that shape how society conceptualizes the...
, and searching out ancient written materials that cast light on local history, while he undertook, from 1814 onwards, to compile a pioneering inventory of some four or five hundred churches of La Manche (Noell 2005); some of these materials were published as Voyage archéologique dans la Manche (1818-1820). He and his fellow members in the Société des Antiquaires de Normandie, founded in 1824— the abbé Gervais de la Rue in Rouen, Auguste Le Prévost
Auguste Le Prévost
Auguste Le Prévost was a French geologist, philologist, archaeologist and historian....
and Arcisse de Caumont
Arcisse de Caumont
Arcisse de Caumont was a French historian and archaeologist.-Biography:Arcisse Caumont was born at Bayeux to François de Caumont and Marie-Louise de Mathan Hue. One of his mentors was Charles de Gerville, known, amongst other things, for coining the term "roman". In 1810, he was sent to school at...
— virtually formed a "travelling school of architectural connoisseurship" (Noell).
In 1818 Duhérissier de Gerville used the expression ‘'romane’'— though in the sense of Romance languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
— in a letter to Auguste Le Prévost; Gerville's friend Arcisse de Caumont is more correctly accorded the honour of publicly applying, in French, the label Romane, i.e. "Romanesque"
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style to architecture of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, in his Essaie sur l'architecture du moyen âge, particulièrement en Normandie, 1824. In fact the OED cites first uses in English of 1715 about the languages, and 1819 about the architectural style. It was a more inclusive, European term for the massive round-arched style that had been recognized in Norman work in England, where the term "Norman architecture
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
" was first used in 1817 by the antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman , was an English architect who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival.He was born at Maidenhead, Berkshire, into a large Quaker family, and avoided the medical career envisaged for him by his father, a grocer and druggist; he went into business for himself and married his first...
, in his published essay An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation: English architectural historians long retained the term "Norman" for that version of the Romanesque.
Duhérissier de Gerville was a correspondent of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres is a French learned society devoted to the humanities, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France.-History:...
. He encouraged a local man of Valognes, Léopold Victor Delisle
Léopold Victor Delisle
Léopold Victor Delisle , French bibliophile and historian, was born at Valognes .-Early life:He was taken on as a young man by the antiquarian and historian of architecture, Charles-Alexis-Adrien Duhérissier de Gerville, who engaged him to copy manuscripts in his collection, and taught him enough...
by engaging him to copy manuscripts in his collection, and taught him enough of the basics of paleography that he was able to gain entrance to the École des Chartres in 1846, and pursue a distinguished scholarly career at the Bibliothèque National; he was a member of the general council for the département of La Manche, but withdrew at the time of the Revolution of 1830
Revolution of 1830
The Revolution of 1830 can be:* The July Revolution in France leading to a constitutional monarchy lasting until the revolutions of 1848* The Belgian Revolution in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands leading to the creation of Belgium...
and, a confirmed legitimist like others of the Antiquaires de la Normandie, refused the cross of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
offered him under Louis Philippe.
Gerville published papers and antiquarian notes on the towns and Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
s of the Cotentin peninsula, on Merovingian studies, and on Mont-Saint-Michel, which were collected as Études géographiques et historiques sur le département de la Manche, (Cherbourg 1854). Part of his rich collection of manuscripts he bequeathed to the archives of La Manche, and part to his protegé Léopold Delisle.
Duhérissier de Gerville is very likely to have been intended as the person honoured in the gastropod name Mitrella gervillii (Payraudeau 1826).