François Carlo Antommarchi
Encyclopedia
Dr François Carlo Antommarchi (born 5 July 1780 in Morsiglia
, Corsica – d. 1838 in Santiago de Cuba
, Cuba) was Napoleon's physician from 1818 to his death in 1821.
He began his studies in Livorno
, Italy, and later earned the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Medicine at the University of Pisa
in March 1808. Antommarchi then went to Florence
, Italy, and was attached to the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova
.Leonardo da Vinci
studied anatomy at the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/itineraries/itinerary/MedicineTuscany.html Antommarchi earned the diploma of Surgeon
in 1812 from the University of Florence
(i.e. Imperial University) and was appointed by its president as Prosector
. While in this capacity, Antommarchi worked under Paolo Mascagni
(1752–1815) starting on 7 July 1813.
Antommarchi left Florence
for Saint Helena
to become Napoleon I
's physician until his death. Antommarchi took up this position at the behest of Napoleon's mother Maria Letizia Ramolino
and his uncle Cardinal Joseph Fesch
. Antommarchi received a letter of employment on 19 December 1818. Antommarchi was sent to St. Helena in replacement of Dr Barry Edward O'Meara
as Napoleon's personal physician, because the illustrious captive would not agree to accept medical officers such as Dr Alexander Baxter or Dr James Roch Verling, who were proposed to him by his custodian, or "gaoler", sir Hudson Lowe
.
However, Napoleon was not so impressed by Antommarchi's medical skills and even dismissed him from his service a couple of times, only to let him resume his duty soonafter. In the last moments of illness, Antommarchi was assisted by Dr Archibald Arnott, who was accepted by Napoleon at the pressing demands from his two officers, Count Montholon and Grand-Marshal Bertrand.
After Napoleon's death, Antommarchi wrote The Last Moments of Napoleon
where he concluded that Napoleon died of stomach cancer
.
In 1831 Antommarchi went to Poland and became the general inspector of Polish hospitals during November Uprising
where he assisted the Polish people in an uprising against the Russians. He fled to Paris to escape the czar's forces.
Antommarchi then immigrated to Louisiana
where he donated the bronze death mask of Napoleon to the people of New Orleans in 1834. Antommarchi lived in Veracruz
, Mexico, for a brief period, and was employed there as an itinerant
physician. He moved from Mexico
and settled in Santiago de Cuba
, Cuba, where he again worked as a physician. The move to Cuba was prompted by Antommarchi seeking his cousin Antonio Juan Benjamin Antommarchi, who made his fortune in coffee plantations. Antommarchi became adept at performing surgery for the removal of cataracts. He died in Cuba, of yellow fever
, on 3 April 1838, at the age of 57.
by Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases
.
, and Spanish.
(1752–1815) was the most celebrated anatomist of his day. Antommarchi became Prosector
to Mascagni who left manuscripts and drawings for an intended publication of a comprehensive complete anatomy with life-size figures. Antommarchi prepared the publication but was meanwhile called to Saint Helena. Antommarchi left, taking with him three copies of Mascagni's plates. When Antommarchi returned, he published these plates, printed from lithographs, under his own name in a monumental work which appeared from 1823 to 1826 under the title of: "Planches anatomiques du corps humain exécutées d'après les dimensions naturelles accompagnées d'un texte explicatif". The plates for the publication were drawn and possibly engraved by Antoine Seratoni.
The phonetic pronunciation of "François" is "frahn-swah".
No unequivocal and decisive proof has ever been presented to settle this controversy and it may never be resolved. Possible motivations for this controversy, for both parties, can include but are not limited to:
Morsiglia
Morsiglia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
, Corsica – d. 1838 in Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Cuba) was Napoleon's physician from 1818 to his death in 1821.
He began his studies in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, Italy, and later earned the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and Medicine at the University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
in March 1808. Antommarchi then went to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy, and was attached to the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova
Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova
Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova is the oldest hospital still active in Florence.-Origins:The hospital was founded in 1288 by Folco Portinari, the father of Beatrice beloved by Dante...
.Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
studied anatomy at the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/itineraries/itinerary/MedicineTuscany.html Antommarchi earned the diploma of Surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
in 1812 from the University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
(i.e. Imperial University) and was appointed by its president as Prosector
Prosector
A prosector is a person with the special task of preparing a dissection for demonstration, usually in medical schools or hospitals. Many important anatomists began their careers as prosectors working for lecturers and demonstrators in anatomy and pathology....
. While in this capacity, Antommarchi worked under Paolo Mascagni
Paolo Mascagni
Paolo Mascagni was an Italian physician.He was born in Pomarance to Aurelio Mascagni and Elizabeth Rivendell ', both belonging to the ancient families Chiusdino...
(1752–1815) starting on 7 July 1813.
Antommarchi left Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
for Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
to become Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's physician until his death. Antommarchi took up this position at the behest of Napoleon's mother Maria Letizia Ramolino
Letizia Ramolino
Nobile Maria Letizia Buonaparte née Ramolino was the mother of Napoleon I of France....
and his uncle Cardinal Joseph Fesch
Joseph Fesch
Joseph Fesch was a French cardinal, closely associated with the family of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was also one of the most famous art collectors of his period.-Biography:Fesch was born at Ajaccio in Corsica...
. Antommarchi received a letter of employment on 19 December 1818. Antommarchi was sent to St. Helena in replacement of Dr Barry Edward O'Meara
Barry Edward O'Meara
Barry Edward O'Meara was an Irish surgeon and founding member of the Reform Club, who accompanied Napoleon to St. Helena and became his physician, having been surgeon on board the Bellerophon when the emperor surrendered himself. He is remembered as the author of Napoleon in Exile, or A Voice...
as Napoleon's personal physician, because the illustrious captive would not agree to accept medical officers such as Dr Alexander Baxter or Dr James Roch Verling, who were proposed to him by his custodian, or "gaoler", sir Hudson Lowe
Hudson Lowe
Sir Hudson Lowe KCB, GCMG was an Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator who is best known for his time as Governor of St Helena where he was the "gaoler" of Napoleon Bonaparte.-Early life and career:...
.
However, Napoleon was not so impressed by Antommarchi's medical skills and even dismissed him from his service a couple of times, only to let him resume his duty soonafter. In the last moments of illness, Antommarchi was assisted by Dr Archibald Arnott, who was accepted by Napoleon at the pressing demands from his two officers, Count Montholon and Grand-Marshal Bertrand.
After Napoleon's death, Antommarchi wrote The Last Moments of Napoleon
The Last Moments of Napoleon
"The Last Moments of Napoleon" is a book by Francesco Antommarchi, Napoleon I's physician.- Publishing History :The two-volume Mémoires du docteur F. Antommarchi, ou Les derniers momens de Napoléon was published in 1825 in Paris by Barrois l'aîné....
where he concluded that Napoleon died of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
.
In 1831 Antommarchi went to Poland and became the general inspector of Polish hospitals during November Uprising
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
where he assisted the Polish people in an uprising against the Russians. He fled to Paris to escape the czar's forces.
Antommarchi then immigrated to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
where he donated the bronze death mask of Napoleon to the people of New Orleans in 1834. Antommarchi lived in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, Mexico, for a brief period, and was employed there as an itinerant
Itinerant
An itinerant is a person who travels from place to place with no fixed home. The term comes from the late 16th century: from late Latin itinerant , from the verb itinerari, from Latin iter, itiner ....
physician. He moved from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and settled in Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, Cuba, where he again worked as a physician. The move to Cuba was prompted by Antommarchi seeking his cousin Antonio Juan Benjamin Antommarchi, who made his fortune in coffee plantations. Antommarchi became adept at performing surgery for the removal of cataracts. He died in Cuba, of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
, on 3 April 1838, at the age of 57.
Life chronology
| Event | Place | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | Morsiglia Morsiglia Morsiglia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*... , Corsica, France |
5 July 1780 |
| Earned Doctor of Philosophy and Medicine Degree | Pisa Pisa Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa... , Italy |
March 1808 |
| Earned Surgeon Diploma | Florence Florence Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area.... , Italy |
1812 |
| Became Prosector | Florence, Italy | 7 July 1813 |
| Became Napoleon I Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815... 's physician |
Saint Helena Saint Helena Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha... , Corsica, France |
19 December 1818 |
| Arrived in Saint Helena Saint Helena Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha... |
Saint Helena, Corsica, France | 10 September 1819 |
| Made Napoleon's Death Mask Napoleon's Death Mask Napoleon's Death Mask is a marble cast mold of the face of Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French. Much mystery and controversy surrounds the origins and whereabouts of the most original cast moulds... |
Saint Helena, Corsica, France | 7 May 1821 |
| Published "Anatomical Prints of the Human Body with Natural Dimensions" | Paris, France | 1823 |
| Published various books based on his diary of Napoleon's medical care | 1823–1826 | |
| Became general inspector of Polish hospitals | Poland | 1831 |
| Visited Louisiana | Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... , United States |
1834 |
| Visited Veracruz | Veracruz Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is... , Mexico |
June–July 1837 |
| Death | Santiago de Cuba, Cuba | 3 April 1838 |
Works
Dissertation on cataract, 1808
This work is mentioned in The Memorial of Saint HelenaThe Memorial of Saint Helena
The Memorial of Saint Helena is a collection of memories of Napoleon I of France written down and edited by Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases as a result of their almost daily conversations during the former's exile on Saint Helena. Contrary to a widely-held opinion, the text was not dictated by...
by Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases
Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases
Emmanuel-Augustin-Dieudonné-Joseph, comte de Las Cases was a French atlas-maker and author, famed for an admiring book on Napoleon....
.
Napoleon's Death Mask, 1821
On 7 May 1821 Antommarchi took a plaster cast of Napoleon's face. Numerous copies of this cast have been made and some can be seen at these locations:- Louisiana State MuseumLouisiana State MuseumThe Louisiana State Museum , founded in New Orleans in 1906 and still headquartered there, is a complex of National Historic Landmarks housing thousands of artifacts and works of art reflecting Louisiana's legacy of historic events and cultural diversity....
– The CabildoThe CabildoThe Cabildo was the seat of colonial government in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is now a museum. The Cabildo is located along Jackson Square, adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral.- History :The original Cabildo was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire...
, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States - Museo Napoleónico de La Habana, Habana, Cuba
- Art Institute of ChicagoArt Institute of ChicagoThe School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois, United States - University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillThe University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, Chapel Hill, North CarolinaChapel Hill, North CarolinaChapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, United States - Museo Nacional de Historia, Chapultepec Castle, Mexico City, Mexico
- Musée de l'ArméeMusée de l'ArméeThe Musée de l'Armée is a museum at Les Invalides in Paris, France. Originally built as a hospital and home for disabled soldiers by Louis XIV, it now houses the Tomb of Napoleon and the museum of the Army of France...
, Paris, France - St. Louis Mercantile LibrarySt. Louis Mercantile LibraryThe St. Louis Mercantile Library, founded in 1846 in St. Louis, Missouri, was originally established as a subscription library, and is the oldest extant library west of the Mississippi River. Since 1998 the library has been housed at the University of Missouri-St. Louis...
, St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, United States
Diary of Napoleon's Medical Care
Antommarchi's diary contained detail records of his medical care for Napoleon. This diary is a source for numerous books published between 1823 and 1826. These books have been published in many languages including French, English, German, ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and Spanish.
Anatomical Prints of the Human Body with Natural Dimensions, Paris, 1823
Paolo MascagniPaolo Mascagni
Paolo Mascagni was an Italian physician.He was born in Pomarance to Aurelio Mascagni and Elizabeth Rivendell ', both belonging to the ancient families Chiusdino...
(1752–1815) was the most celebrated anatomist of his day. Antommarchi became Prosector
Prosector
A prosector is a person with the special task of preparing a dissection for demonstration, usually in medical schools or hospitals. Many important anatomists began their careers as prosectors working for lecturers and demonstrators in anatomy and pathology....
to Mascagni who left manuscripts and drawings for an intended publication of a comprehensive complete anatomy with life-size figures. Antommarchi prepared the publication but was meanwhile called to Saint Helena. Antommarchi left, taking with him three copies of Mascagni's plates. When Antommarchi returned, he published these plates, printed from lithographs, under his own name in a monumental work which appeared from 1823 to 1826 under the title of: "Planches anatomiques du corps humain exécutées d'après les dimensions naturelles accompagnées d'un texte explicatif". The plates for the publication were drawn and possibly engraved by Antoine Seratoni.
Name variants
François Carlo Antommarchi's original name has many variants in the literature due to translations and misspellings:- François Carlo Antommarchi (original French name)
- Francesco Carlo Antonmarchi (Italian translation)
- Francisco Carlo Antommarchi (Spanish translation)
- Francesco Carlo Antommarchi (English translation)
- Francesco Carlo Antomarchi (misspelling)
The phonetic pronunciation of "François" is "frahn-swah".
Napoleon's Death Mask
It is unclear if the original cast for the Death Mask of Napoleon made by Antommarchi survived. It is said that Antommarchi's cast failed but Dr Francis Burton apparently took another cast which survived. To complicate matters, Madame Bertrand, apparently related to Henri Gatien Bertrand and Napoleon's attendant, is said to have stolen a large part of the cast taken by Burton and given it to Antommarchi.No unequivocal and decisive proof has ever been presented to settle this controversy and it may never be resolved. Possible motivations for this controversy, for both parties, can include but are not limited to:
- Fierce rivalry between the conquerors, i.e. the British, and the conquered, i.e. the French
- Profiteering
- Fameseeking