Charles d'Orbigny

Atlas Moths: Atticus pavonia major and minor.


Charles Henry Dessalines d’Orbigny was younger brother to the great naturalist and explorer Alcide Dessalines d’Orbigny. Like his brother, Charles had a great interest in Nature and the species being found in newly discovered parts of the world. d’Orbigny studied medicine and went on to work at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris providing further identification and categorisation of the species his brother was sending back to France, and gaining a particular knowledge in Botany and Geology. He succeeded the geologist Louis Cordier in 1834 and continued to work at the museum until failing health forced him to retire 30 years later.

d’Orbigny’s monumental Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle is considered one of the great 19th century encyclopaedias of Natural History with fine, hand coloured plates by some of the most accomplished artists of that period.

Charles Henry Dessalines d’Orbigny was younger brother to the great naturalist and explorer Alcide Dessalines d’Orbigny. Like his brother, Charles had a great interest in Nature and the species being found in newly discovered parts of the world. d’Orbigny studied medicine and went on to work at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris providing further identification and categorisation of the species his brother was sending back to France, and gaining a particular knowledge in Botany and Geology. He succeeded the geologist Louis Cordier in 1834 and continued to work at the museum until failing health forced him to retire 30 years later.

d’Orbigny’s monumental Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle is considered one of the great 19th century encyclopaedias of Natural History with fine, hand coloured plates by some of the most accomplished artists of that period.