Philibert Commerçon
Encyclopedia
Dr. Philibert Commerçon (also sometimes spelled Commerson) (November 18, 1727 – March 13, 1773) was a French
naturalist
, best known for accompanying Louis Antoine de Bougainville
on his voyage of circumnavigation
in 1766–1769.
. He studied medicine
and botany
at Montpellier
, and for a time was a practicing physician. At the request of Carolus Linnaeus
, Commerçon collected and categorized fish
of the Mediterranean on behalf of the museum in Stockholm
.
Commerçon returned to live at Châtillon les Dombes in 1756 and there occupied himself in creating botanical gardens.
In 1766, Commerçon joined Bougainville on his voyage of circumnavigation. Among the wildlife that Commerçon observed was a particular kind of dolphin
in the Strait of Magellan
. The animal is now known as Commerson's Dolphin
.
It was not until the expedition reached Tahiti
that Commerçon's servant on the voyage, Jeanne Baré
, was discovered to be a woman. In spite of Commerçon's apparent lack of perceptiveness concerning Baré, he was an astute observer of the Tahitian people and culture, thanks in part to a remarkable lack of Europe
an prejudice compared to other early visitors to the island. Commerçon and Bougainville together were responsible for spreading the myth of Tahitians as the embodiment of the concept of the noble savage
.
Commerçon also studied and collected plants wherever the expedition stopped. On the return voyage to France, he remained behind at the island of Mauritius
, in order to botanize there and on Madagascar
.
Commerçon died at Mauritius at the age of 45.
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...
naturalist
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...
, best known for accompanying Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of James Cook, he took part in the French and Indian War and the unsuccessful French attempt to defend Canada from Britain...
on his voyage of circumnavigation
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
in 1766–1769.
Background
Commerçon was born at Châtillon les Dombes in FranceFrance
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...
. He studied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
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...
at Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
, and for a time was a practicing physician. At the request of Carolus Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
, Commerçon collected and categorized fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
of the Mediterranean on behalf of the museum in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
.
Commerçon returned to live at Châtillon les Dombes in 1756 and there occupied himself in creating botanical gardens.
In 1766, Commerçon joined Bougainville on his voyage of circumnavigation. Among the wildlife that Commerçon observed was a particular kind of dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
in the Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan comprises a navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego...
. The animal is now known as Commerson's Dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin is one of four dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus. The species has also the common names Skunk Dolphin, Piebald Dolphin and Panda Dolphin...
.
It was not until the expedition reached Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
that Commerçon's servant on the voyage, Jeanne Baré
Jeanne Baré
Jeanne Baret was a member of Louis Antoine de Bougainville's expedition on the ships La Boudeuse and Étoile in 1766–1769. Baret is recognized as the first woman to have completed a voyage of circumnavigation.Jeanne Baret joined the expedition disguised as a man, calling herself Jean Baret...
, was discovered to be a woman. In spite of Commerçon's apparent lack of perceptiveness concerning Baré, he was an astute observer of the Tahitian people and culture, thanks in part to a remarkable lack of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an prejudice compared to other early visitors to the island. Commerçon and Bougainville together were responsible for spreading the myth of Tahitians as the embodiment of the concept of the noble savage
Noble savage
The term noble savage , expresses the concept an idealized indigene, outsider , and refers to the literary stock character of the same...
.
Commerçon also studied and collected plants wherever the expedition stopped. On the return voyage to France, he remained behind at the island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, in order to botanize there and on Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Commerçon died at Mauritius at the age of 45.