Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier

Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier, a French painter, born in Lyons about 1813. He studied his art in Paris under Leon Cogniet, exhibited in 1836 his "Little Messenger," and soon acquired a reputation as a painter of miniature subjects of exquisite finish and delicacy. Among his best known pictures are " The ChessPlayers," "The Reader," "A Game of Piquet," and " The Skittle Players." Among his larger pictures are "A Charge of Cavalry " (1867), which was sold for 150,000 francs, and is in a private gallery in Cincinnati, and "The Emperor at Solferino " (1864). He has made designs for Balzac's Comedie humaine, " Paul and Virginia," and other works. His pictures bring great prices, and there are several of them in the United States. - Jean Charles, his son and pupil, has attained distinction as a pointer, particularly for his portraits.

Jean Louis Hamon

Jean Louis Hamon, a French painter, born at Plouha, May 5, 1821, died May 29,1874. He escaped from a monastery in 1840 to study painting under Paul Delaroche. In 1848 he exhibited two paintings, "Over the Gate" and the "Tomb of Christ," at the museum of Marseilles. After 1849 he worked at the painting of Sevres china, producing some specimens which gained him a medal at the world's fair in London in 1851. In 1852 he returned to oil painting, and exhibited his " Comedy of Humanity" and Ma soeur n'y est pas; the latter was purchased by the government. He has since produced a number of pictures, several of them representing scenes in the East. Among the best known are "The Maidens of Lesbos" (1861) and "The Muses at Pompeii" (1866).

Jean Louis Nicolas Jaley

Jean Louis Nicolas Jaley, a French sculptor, born in Paris, Jan. 27, 1802, died there in 1866. He was a pupil of Pierre Cartillier, and obtained in 1827 the highest academical prize for his bust of Mucius Scaevola, enabling him to study six years in Italy. After his return to Paris he executed many works for the Versailles museum and the Luxembourg. Among his best statues are those representing "Pu-dor" and "Prayer." He succeeded David d'Angers in 1856 in the academy of fine arts, and shortly before his death he was employed upon statuary for the new palace of justice.

Jean Louis Philippe Elisabeth Montcalm De Candiac

Jean Louis Philippe Elisabeth Montcalm De Candiac, a precocious French child, a brother of the marquis de Montcalm, born at the chateau de Candiac, in the present department of Gard, Nov. 7, 1719, died in Paris, Oct. 8, 1726. The child possessed remarkable powers of memory, and is said to have been able to read French and Latin at the age of 3, and Greek and Hebrew at 6, and to have acquired some knowledge of arithmetic, heraldry, geography, and history. He died in his 7th year, from dropsy of the brain.

Jean Louis Pons

Jean Louis Pons, a French astronomer, born at Peyre, in Dauphiny, Dec. 25, 1761, died in Florence, Oct. 14, 1831. In 1789 he became connected with the observatory of Marseilles as usher, and rose to be director of the institution. In 1819 he became superintendent of the observatory at Marlia in the duchy of Lucca, and in 1825 of that of the museum at Florence. From 1801 to 1827 he discovered 37 comets.