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Nom
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Magny, Alexis
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Lieu de naissance
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Namps-au-Mont near Amiens
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Lieu de mort
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Paris
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Couverture temporelle
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mid-18th century - early 19th century
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Biographie
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Magny was born at Namps-au-Mont near Amiens of which the Duc de Chaulnes was governor. In c. 1734/35 he entered the service of the financier and collector Bonnier de la Mosson to whom he may have been introduced by the Duc de Chaulnes, Bonnier's brother-in-law. In 1735 he presented ideas for the drawing of meridians to the Académie des Sciences. The reporters on them, Cassini & Camus, found that they showed a sound grasp of the principles of gnomonics, but that drawing the equation of time in the form of a figure of 8 analemma was not new. In 1735/6, he made a machine devised by Antoine Deparcieux for polishing telescope objectives.
For some ten years, Magny worked virtually exclusively for Bonnnier de la Mosson and should be considered 'comme celui qui a formé sous les ordres de feu M. de la Mosson ce cabinet en entier'. The author of the catalogue describing Bonnier's collection continued that 'on connoïtra facilement à la vüe de ces machines avec quelle précision & quel scrupule il finit tout ce sort de ses mains. Cet excellent artiste ne s'entient point servilement à la main d'oeuvre, & chez lui l'imagination a le pas sur le mérite & l'exactitude de l'exécution: avantages que l'on retrouve rarement réunis dans un même sujet. While working for Bonnier, Magny carried out research on magnetic compasses which 'il a sceu rendre fixes & propres à faire des expériences certaines & solides'. His design had been approved by the Académie des Sciences who ordered several for their own purposes, and Magny was now working on a combined compass to show inclination and declination together. A confused and unconfirmed report suggests that Magny made a mechanical rolling display table to show a painting by Charles Parrocel (1688-1752) representing the Publication of the Peace. In 1777, Magny was awarded an accessit worth 800 livres in the Rouillé prize competition for one of his compasses.
In 1751 Magny was provided with details, or even an example, of the compound microscope with micrometer that de Chaulnes had devised and of which he published a description in 1768. His task, in eight days, was to adapt it for use in a sitting position. The resulting instrument was presented to Stanislas Leczynski, King of Poland (1677-1766). For a short period in early 1752 the instrument was displayed at his premises (1). Thereafter Magny made a number of other, less elaborate, instruments of this type which he usually signed and numbered. They date from between 1751 and 1754 and some existing examples have elaborately ornate bronze mountings which are usually attributed to Caffieri although no evidence for this has yet been advanced. By the mid-century Magny already had an imposing array of fashionable clients. On his trade card he described himself as 'Ingenieur' for horology, for mathematical and physics instruments, and for general mechanics. In 1780 two portable barometers by him were purchased by the Département de la Marine (2). Apparently he was long-lived. In 1792 he petitioned for a national recompense for his universal marine compass and for ventilators for ships and hospitals. In their report J.B. Leroy and Coulomb recommended a maximum award to recompense the two inventions and his long career. The compass, which was perfectly exact, was to be purchased for use as a standard instrument in the Dépôt des Cartes et Plans (3).
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Notes biographiques
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1. Affiches 3 février 1752. 'M. Magny ci-devant Directeur des Cabinets de feu M. Bosnier de la Mosson, vient de faire pour le Roi de Pologne Duc de Lorraine, un Microscope qui a mérité l’attention des Connoisseurs, & l’applaudissement de l’Académie Royale des Sciences. Il invite les Sçavans sur cette matière, à venir voir cet ouvrage. Il demeure dans l’Abbaye de S. Germain des Près, & dans la Cour des Religieux'.
2. Henrart 148.
3. Henrart 137,
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Bibliographie
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'Mémoire présenté à l'Académie des Sciences sur les microscopes à trois verres, et universel s, perfectionnés dans leurs verres ainsi que dans leurs montures, présenté à Messieurs de l'Académie Royale des Sciences au mois de juin 1751 et considerablement augmenté en 1753 par M. Magny', Journal Oeconomique, ou mémoire, notes et avis sur l'agriculture, les arts, le commerce, et tout ce qui peut y avoir rapport, January 1752.
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Adresse ; enseigne ; période ; source
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Abbaye de S. Germain des Près, Paris, Au Roy Childebert Trade card, Waddesdon Manor
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Instrument
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Thermomètre 1743
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Identifiant
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141
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ark:/18469/1q0g7