AMPÈRE, Jean-Jacques-Antoine. Lyon 12.8.1800 — Pau 26/27.3.1864. French Scholar of History and Literature interested in India. Son of the famous scientist André Marie A. (1775-1836) and Antoinette Carron, lost early his mother. Educated at Collège Henri IV. Travelled in Europe and wrote himself poetry. In 1830 taught at Athénée de Marseille, then from 1830 Professor of History of Foreign literatures at Sorbonne, in 1830-34 also maître-de-conf. at École normale. In 1833-64 Professor of Literature at Collège de France. He was mainly interested in literature and, although he studied many languages, i.al. Sanskrit, his knowledge always remained superficial. Much interested in ancient German poetry. He travelled much (in 1841 with Lenormant in Asia Minor) and wrote several travel books. Friend of Fauriel.
Publications: Seven tragedies in the 1820s.
– “Sigurd, tradition épique selon l’Inde et les Nibelungen”, Revue des Deux-Mondes August 1832, 72 p. and other articles ibid., collected and edited by Barthélemy-St.-Hilaire 1865.
– Histoire littéraire de la France avant le douzième siècle. 1-3. P. 1840; La Grèce, Rome et Dante. 464 p. P. 1848.
– Histoire romaine à Rome. 1-4. P. 1856-64; La science et les lettres en Orient. 19+489 p. P. 1865; further works.
Sources: D.B.F.; J.-F. Saint-Gérand, Lex. gramm. 1996, 25f.; Schwab, Renaissance Or. 330-334; Wikipedia (more details in Fench version).
Last Updated on 10 months by Admin
