Desire Raoul Rochette

Désiré Raoul Rochette

Usually known as Raoul-Rochette, a French archæologist, b. at St. Amand (Cher), 9 March, 1789; d. in Paris, 3 June, 1854. His father was a physician. He made his classical studies the lyceum of Bourges, and then took up post-graduate work in the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. In 1810, he obtained a chair of grammar in the lyceum Louis-le-Grand, and in the same year, married the daughter of the celebrated sculptor Houdon. Three years later, he was awarded a prize by the Institute for his "Mémoire sur les Colonies Grecques". In 1815, he became lecturer at the Ecole Normale and succeeded Guizot in the chair of modern history at the Sorbonne. It has been often said that he owed his rapid advancement only to favoritism, because of his devotion to the ruling power; this is not entirely true. He was a real scholar whose deep knowledge of archæology was admired even by his political enemies. He was elected to the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres in 1816, and two years later, made a keeper of medals and antiques. His appointment to the position of censor (1820) aroused the hostility of his students, who prevented him from delivering his lectures and caused the course to be suspended. In 1824 he was transferred to the chair of archæology. He entered the Academy of Fine Arts in 1838, and was made it perpetual secretary in 1839. Besides his memoirs for the Institute and numerous contributions to the "Journal de Savants, he wrote many books, the chief of which are: "Histoire critique de;'etablissement des colonies grecques" (Paris, 1815); "Antiquités grecques du Bosphore Cimmérien" (Paris, 1822); "Lettres sur le Suisse" (Paris, 1826); "Mémoires inédits d'antiquité figurée grecque, étrusque et Romaine" (Paris, 1828); "Pompéi" (Paris, 1828); "Cours d'archéologie" (Paris, 1828); "Peintures antiques inédites" (Paris, 1836).

LOUIS N. DELAMARRE