Claude Sosthène Grasset d'Orcet
Encyclopedia
Claude Sosthene Grasset d'Orcet (6 June 1828 at Aurillac
– 2 December 1900 at Cusset
) was a French archaeologist, writer, exponent of the esoteric
and founder of the study of French mythology.
, and Antoinette-Athénaïs de Chalembel, daughter of the Mayor of Cusset
.
He studied at the College of Aurillac and then the College of Juilly
, where the Abbe Constant, the future Eliphas Levi
, introduced him to the study of esoteric subjects.
Grasset d'Orcet then went to Paris where he studied at the Faculty of Law.
He then studied sculpting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
in the studio of Elias Robert
, who prompted him to travel to Greece, then throughout the Middle East. While in Cyprus
he married Clémence-Félicie Lafon, daughter of a former medical officer based in Nicosia
.
Between 1848 and 1851 he frequented the Cafe de la Regence in Paris, where he met Alfred de Musset
who intoxicated him with a mixture of beer and absinthe
, the novelist Theophile Gautier
and the librettist Henri Murger
.
He participated in the French revolution of 1848
, enlisting in a company of the 10th legion commanded by the Marquis Louis Felicien de Saulcy
(1807–1880). This was the start of a long relationship between two men.
He moved to Cyprus for several years, where he began excavations and discovered many items of which some were carried back to France in 1859 by de Saulcy on his return from the Holy Land, and form the basis of the Cypriot Archaeology collection in the Louvre
.
He then participated in two archaeological missions, first in Phoenicia
with Ernest Renan
in 1859–1861 and again in Cyprus with Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé
and the architect Edmond Duthoit in 1862–1864.
Before 1870, Grasset d'Orcet worked as a journalist for the newspapers La Cloche and Le Figaro
, and was a reporter for the Havas
agency during the Paris Commune
.
He worked for twenty-seven years at the La Revue britannique, in which he published 218 articles, the first in 1873 on "Alcoholism in literature", and made numerous translations.
Aurillac
Aurillac is a commune in the Auvergne region in south-central France, capital of the Cantal department.Aurillac's inhabitants are called Aurillacois, and are also Cantaliens or Cantalous in Occitan....
– 2 December 1900 at Cusset
Cusset
Cusset is a commune in the Allier department in central France.-Population:...
) was a French archaeologist, writer, exponent of the esoteric
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
and founder of the study of French mythology.
Life
Claude Sosthene Grasset was the son of Pierre-Joseph Grasset, the Mayor of MauriacMauriac, Cantal
Mauriac is a commune in the Cantal department in the Auvergne region in south-central France.It lies north-northwest of Aurillac by rail.Mauriac, built on the slope of a volcanic hill, has a medieval church, and the buildings of an old abbey now used as public offices and dwellings; the town owes...
, and Antoinette-Athénaïs de Chalembel, daughter of the Mayor of Cusset
Cusset
Cusset is a commune in the Allier department in central France.-Population:...
.
He studied at the College of Aurillac and then the College of Juilly
College of Juilly
The College of Juilly The College of Juilly The College of Juilly (French: Collège de Juilly is a Catholic private teaching establishment located on the commune of Juilly, in Seine-et-Marne (France)...
, where the Abbe Constant, the future Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Levi
Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant , was a French occult author and purported magician."Eliphas Lévi," the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish.His second wife was...
, introduced him to the study of esoteric subjects.
Grasset d'Orcet then went to Paris where he studied at the Faculty of Law.
He then studied sculpting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
in the studio of Elias Robert
Élias Robert
Élias Robert is a French sculptor. His major works include :* Phryne, Louvre museum * France crowning Art and Industry...
, who prompted him to travel to Greece, then throughout the Middle East. While in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
he married Clémence-Félicie Lafon, daughter of a former medical officer based in Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
.
Between 1848 and 1851 he frequented the Cafe de la Regence in Paris, where he met Alfred de Musset
Alfred de Musset
Alfred Louis Charles de Musset-Pathay was a French dramatist, poet, and novelist.Along with his poetry, he is known for writing La Confession d'un enfant du siècle from 1836.-Biography:Musset was born on 11 December 1810 in Paris...
who intoxicated him with a mixture of beer and absinthe
Absinthe
Absinthe is historically described as a distilled, highly alcoholic beverage. It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood", together with green anise and sweet fennel...
, the novelist Theophile Gautier
Théophile Gautier
Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic and literary critic....
and the librettist Henri Murger
Henri Murger
Louis-Henri Murger, also known as Henri Murger and Henry Murger was a French novelist and poet....
.
He participated in the French revolution of 1848
French Revolution of 1848
The 1848 Revolution in France was one of a wave of revolutions in 1848 in Europe. In France, the February revolution ended the Orleans monarchy and led to the creation of the French Second Republic. The February Revolution was really the belated second phase of the Revolution of 1830...
, enlisting in a company of the 10th legion commanded by the Marquis Louis Felicien de Saulcy
Louis Felicien de Saulcy
Louis Felicien de Saulcy was a French numismatist, Orientalist, and archaeologist.Louis Felicien de Saulcy was born in Lille, France, the scion of a noble family. He traveled though Syria and Palestine in 1850–51, 1863, and 1869...
(1807–1880). This was the start of a long relationship between two men.
He moved to Cyprus for several years, where he began excavations and discovered many items of which some were carried back to France in 1859 by de Saulcy on his return from the Holy Land, and form the basis of the Cypriot Archaeology collection in 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...
.
He then participated in two archaeological missions, first in Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
with Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
in 1859–1861 and again in Cyprus with Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé
Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé
Charles-Jean-Melchior de Vogüé was a French archeologist, diplomat, and member of the Académie française in seat 18. He was the uncle of fellow academician Eugene Melchior de Vogüé, who served concurrently for a few years in seat 39....
and the architect Edmond Duthoit in 1862–1864.
Before 1870, Grasset d'Orcet worked as a journalist for the newspapers La Cloche and Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
, and was a reporter for the Havas
Havas
Havas is the second largest advertising group in France and is a "Global advertising and communications services group" and the sixth-largest global advertising and communications group worldwide, operating on the communications consulting market through three main operational divisions:*Euro RSCG...
agency during the Paris Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
.
He worked for twenty-seven years at the La Revue britannique, in which he published 218 articles, the first in 1873 on "Alcoholism in literature", and made numerous translations.
Sources
- Notice nécrologique sur Grasset d'Orcet, 1900, Revue Britannique.
- Grasset d'Orcet, docteur en grimoires, by Valérie Gentil, 1993, mémoire de maîtrise, Université de Bordeaux,
- L'imaginaire de la nation chez l'ésotériste Grasset d'Orcet, by Jean-Claude Drouin, in L'Imaginaire de la nation, actes du colloque européen de Bordeaux, 1991, Bordeaux, PU Bordeaux.