Nicolas François de Neufchâteau

He had previously been engaged on a translation of Ariosto, which he finished before his return to France five years afterwards, but it was destroyed during the shipwreck which occurred during his voyage home.

He inaugurated the museum of the Louvre and was one of the promoters of the Exposition des produits de l'industrie française, the first universal exhibition of industrial products.

[1] He replaced Lazare Carnot as a member of the French Directory, a position he held between 9 September 1797, and 23 April 1798.

[2] From 1804 to 1806 he was president of the Sénat conservateur,[1] coinciding with the establishment of the First Empire — his office implied that he was the one to solicit Napoleon Bonaparte to assume the title of Emperor.

[1] Neufchâteau had multiple accomplishments, and interested himself in a great variety of subjects, but his fame rests mostly on what he did as a statesman for the encouragement and development of the industries of France.