Alexandre Chaponnier called Polyanthe (24 February 1793 in Paris – 26 July 1852 in the

10th arrondissement of Paris The 10th arrondissement of Paris (''Xe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''dixième'' ("10th arrondissement of Paris" = "dixième arrondisseme ...

) was a 19th-century French physician, painter, engraver, and playwright. Also known under the sole first name Alexandre, he was the son of the French painter and engraver of Swiss origin Alexandre Chaponnier (Genève 1753-Paris 1835).

Biography

Throughout his life, Alexander Chaponnier led several front activities: that of physician and surgeon, that of writer and playwright and that, like his father, of painter and engraver. The titles recalled in his works alone summarize the full range of his personal and professional choices: "''médecin de la Faculté de Paris, chirurgien-accoucheur, démonstrateur d'anatomie à l'usage des peintres et professeur de physiologie; membre correspondant de l'Académie Royale de Rouen et de plusieurs sociétés savantes''". His practitioner activity occupied most of his time. Holder of a doctorate in medicine from the Faculty of Paris, he was a doctor, surgeon-obstetrician then moved towards teaching and research in oncology, diseases of bones and skin lesions where he advocated the use of barium carbonate. As a playwright, he is best known for his participation under the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

Polyanthe, with Antier and Saint-Amand, to the writing of the drama ''L'Auberge des Adrets'', premiered in 1823. Meant to be a dark melodrama,

Frédérick Lemaître Antoine Louis Prosper "Frédérick" Lemaître (28 July 1800 – 26 January 1876) was a French actor and playwright, one of the most famous players on the celebrated Boulevard du Crime. Biography Lemaître, the son of an architect, was bo ...

, sensing the failure of the play, conceived to turn it into a joke. If Antier and St. Amand took their advantage of the changes introduced by Lemaitre, Polyanthe vowed "relentless grudge" to the famous actor.

Works

* Theatre ** 1823: '' L'Auberge des Adrets'', three-act drama, with Antier and Saint-Amand,

Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique The Théâtre de l’Ambigu-Comique (, literally, Theatre of the Comic-Ambiguity), a former Parisian theatre, was founded in 1769 on the boulevard du Temple immediately adjacent to the Théâtre de Nicolet. It was rebuilt in 1770 and 1786, but in ...

(2 July) ** 1828: ''Quatre heures, ou Le Jour du supplice'', three-act

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

by Alexandre and Saint-Amand, Théâtre de la Gaîté (23 February) * Medicine ** 1827: ''La chirurgie sans chirurgiens ..', par le docteur Chaponnier médecin-accoucheur, médecin de la Faculté de Paris, Binet éditeur à Paris ** 1829: ''La physiologie des gens du monde, pour servir de complément à l'éducation, ornée de planches'', par le Ch valie Chaponnier, médecin de la Faculté de Paris, Firmin-Didot Frères éditeurs à Paris ** 1834: ''Recherches physiologiques sur quelques reptiles'', par M. le docteur Chaponnier ''in'' Précis analytique des travaux de l'Académie de Rouen ** 1842: ''Nouveau traitement des scrofules, des dartres lymphatiques et de la carie des os par le carbonate de baryte ..', par le Ch valie Chaponnier, à Paris chez l'auteur, rue Hauteville, n° 57 ** 1844: ''Notice sur l'emploi du carbonate de baryte pour la guérison des maladies des os'', par le Dr Chaponnier, à Paris chez l'auteur, rue Hauteville, n°57 ** 1850: ''Notice sur l'emploi du carbonate de baryte pour la guérison du cancer'', par Chaponnier médecin de la Faculté, chez l'auteur rue Hauteville, n°57, à Paris ** 1851: ''Guérison des scrofules, de la carie des os et des dartres lymphatiques'', par Chaponnier médecin et professeur, à Paris chez l'auteur, rue Hauteville, n°57 * Art ** s.d. : ''La Parure'', color print signed ''Chaponnier Fils'', Musée de la Rose in L'Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne) ** 1809: ''Calvin, after the original housed at the Bibliothèque de Genève'', engraving signed ''Alex nre Chaponnier fils sculpt'', Collège Calvin ** 1813: ''Les bédouins, ou La tribu du Mont-Liban'',
on Gallica pantomime by Frédéric Dupetit-Méré, costumes by Franconi the younger (Zoraïm) and Franconi the elder (Abulmar) engraved by ''Chaponnier fils sculp''

Bibliography

* ''Notices nécrologiques sur des membres de l'Académie - V - M. Chaponnier membre correspondant'', par M. Ballin ''in'' Précis analytique des travaux de l'Académie des Sciences, Belles-Lettres et Arts de Rouen pendant l'année 1852-1853 (pages 75 to 78).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polyanthe 19th-century French physicians French medical writers 19th-century French engravers 19th-century French male artists 19th-century French dramatists and playwrights 1793 births Physicians from Paris 1852 deaths Writers from Paris