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Jacques CambryFrench statesman and antiquarian
Date of Birth: 02.10.1749
Country:  France |
Content:
- Jacques Cambry: French Statesman and Antiquarian
- Ecclesiastical Ambitions and Public Service
- Brittany Explorations and Artistic Preservation
- Administrative Career and the French Academy
- Literary Contributions on Art and History
Jacques Cambry: French Statesman and Antiquarian
Jacques Cambry, a prominent French statesman and antiquarian, was born as the son of a naval engineer.
Ecclesiastical Ambitions and Public Service
Initially drawn to the clergy, Cambry later abandoned his spiritual aspirations. In 1794, he embarked on a public service career as Commissioner for Sciences and Arts in Brittany.
Brittany Explorations and Artistic Preservation
During his tenure, Cambry extensively traveled throughout Brittany, particularly Finistère. His meticulous observations culminated in two valuable works: "Voyage dans le Finistère" (1799), a travelogue of his explorations, and "Catalogue des objets échappés au vandalisme dans le Finistère" (1795), a catalog of artworks and monuments lost during the revolution.
Administrative Career and the French Academy
After 1799, Cambry held significant administrative positions in the Seine and Oise departments. In 1804, he co-founded the Celtic Academy (later known as the French Society of Antiquities), serving as its president until his death.
Literary Contributions on Art and History
Cambry's literary endeavors included an essay on the life and works of Nicolas Poussin ("Essai sur la vie et sur les tableaux du Poussin," 1799), an in-depth account of Celtic monuments ("Monuments celtiques," 1805), and a report on the state of cemeteries in post-revolutionary France. In the latter, he emphasized the close ties between respect for the dead and societal order, advocating for the renaming of cemeteries as "fields of repose" ("champs de repos").
