Date of Birth: January 18, 1752
Place of Birth: Champien, France
Date of Death: October 11, 1832
Place of Death: Unknown
Louis Dufresne was a French ornithologist, taxidermist, and naturalist known for his significant contributions to the fields of zoology and museum curation. He played a key role in improving taxidermy techniques and expanding the natural history collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris.
After attending the local school, he left to study Natural History and relieve his family. Ornithologist and dissecter, he began early to gather his personal collections. His passion for zoology and natural sciences led him to study under prominent French naturalists, where he developed expertise in anatomy and the preservation of animal specimens.
Dufresne began his career as a naturalist and taxidermist at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, one of the leading institutions for the study of natural history. He quickly gained recognition for his skills in preparing and preserving animal specimens, which were used for research and display.
In 1785, Dufresne joined the La Pérouse expedition, led by French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. This expedition aimed to explore the Pacific Ocean and gather scientific data on newly discovered territories. Dufresne was responsible for collecting and preserving zoological specimens during the voyage.
Although the expedition ended in disaster when the ships were lost in the Pacific in 1788, Dufresne had returned to France earlier with a significant collection of specimens. His work provided valuable material for the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle and enhanced Europe’s understanding of Pacific fauna.
Curation at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.
After his return, Dufresne took a permanent position at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. He played a crucial role in organizing and expanding the museum’s ornithology collection, which became one of the largest and most comprehensive bird collections in the world.
Dufresne’s taxidermy methods were widely adopted by other museums and collectors, setting a new standard for the preservation and display of natural specimens. His work influenced the development of modern taxidermy and natural history curation.
A specialist in malacology, when the naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck became blind in 1819, he entrusted Dufresne with the task of identifying the specimens of the Museum.
The most striking work during his time at the Paris Museum was in 1803, together with his companion Desmoulins and some assistants, the assembly of the Indian elephant Hans, a specimen that Napoleon’s army had confiscated in 1795 in Holland and which for some years lived in the ménagerie of the Jardin des Plantes.
Dufresne contributed to various scientific publications, including detailed catalogues and descriptions of bird species. His knowledge of bird anatomy and behavior helped advance the field of ornithology.
One of his most significant works was his contribution to the “Dictionnaire des sciences naturelles” (Dictionary of Natural Sciences), where he provided detailed entries on bird species and taxidermy techniques.
In 1803, the Nouveau Dictionnaire d’Histoire Naturelle appeared, for which Dufresne would write the article Taxidermie, of great influence on the history of Taxidermy, which popularized this newly created term, and also the recipe for Jean-Baptiste Bécoeur‘s successful arsenical soap, which until a decade ago had been kept secret. One of Dufresne’s most important contributions was the introduction of arsenic soap as a preservative for taxidermy. Arsenic soap helped prevent decay and deter pests, which allowed specimens to be preserved for much longer periods. This innovation significantly improved the quality and longevity of taxidermy specimens in natural history museums.
The one hundred and two pages of length of Taxidermie thus became an outstanding treatise, which was translated into several languages, as well as serving as inspiration for future manuals.
Dufresne continued working at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle until his death. He remained dedicated to expanding and improving the museum’s collections and training new generations of taxidermists and naturalists.
Dufresne also maintained a private collection which by 1818 consisted of 1,600 bird specimens (on wooden supports and with both with Latin and French names), 800 world eggs, 4,000 shells, fossils, amphibians, corals and 12,000 insects. This collection purchased for the University of Edinburgh in 1819. In 1854 the University transferred the Natural History Museum into the government ownership to form a publicly-funded national museum, which became the Royal Scottish Museum (now part of National Museums Scotland).
In 1829 Dufresne was awarded the Legion of Honour. He died of lung disease on October 11, 1832, at the age of 80.
