François de Baillou (ca. 1700-1774) was a French scientific instrument makers. Born into a French family settled in

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

, François de Baillou conducted research on a wide range of scientific topics. A distinguished optician, he produced numerous

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory equipment, laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic ...

s and

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...

s in a period of thirty years (1734-1764). In 1750, he received the title of "Regio Cesareo Ottico" mperial Opticianfrom Empress

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

(1717-1780) via Count Harnach, Governor of Milan. From his published booklets on his optical instruments, we learn that he made mono- and binocular telescopes of various sizes and in different versions (theater, pocket, astronomical, terrestrial), simple and compound microscopes, camera obscuras and

magic lantern The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that uses pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lens (optics), lenses, and a light source. ...

s, and lenses and cylinders for anamorphoses. Many of Baillou's instruments are now preserved in public and private collections.

External links

Biography
at Museo Galileo website {{DEFAULTSORT:Baillou, Francois French scientific instrument makers