Henri Cernuschi
Henri Cernuschi | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Milan, Italy |
| Died | May 11, 1896 (aged 75) Menton, France |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, economist, art collector |
| Known for | Contributions to financial literature on bimetallism; founder of Musée Cernuschi |
Henri Cernuschi (; ; 19 February 1821 – 11 May 1896) was a distinguished banker, economist, and collector of Asian art with dual French and Italian heritage. His early career was marked by active participation in Italian political movements between 1848 and 1850.
Life
Originating from an affluent Milanese family, Cernuschi was initially destined for a profession in law but soon engaged in revolutionary activities. He played a significant part in the 1848 uprising in Milan and served within the assembly of the Roman Republic. Following the revolution’s defeat, he was detained in 1850 but managed to flee to France. There, he amassed considerable wealth through trade and banking and acquired French citizenship. Politically, he stood against socialist factions and funded campaigns opposing the Napoleonic plebiscite of 1870, which resulted in his brief exile.
After the French Third Republic was founded, Cernuschi returned to France but subsequently embarked on extensive journeys throughout the Far East, where he gathered a vast collection of art that he continued to enlarge until his passing.
He died in Menton in May 1896 and was interred at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
Legacy
Cernuschi left his Asian art assemblage along with his Parisian home at No. 7 avenue Velasquez near Parc Monceau to the city of Paris. This donation became the foundation for the Musée Cernuschi, which remains accessible to visitors. The museum’s holdings include Chinese funerary sculptures, painted silks from the 8th century, Neolithic terracotta artifacts dating back to the 3rd millennium BC, Japanese bronzes and ceramics, decorative folding screens, ancient Persian bronze pieces, an 8th-century Amitabha Buddha statue, and various samples of calligraphy.
Works
In his capacity as a banker, Cernuschi is chiefly recognized for his contributions to financial literature, especially concerning bimetallism. He was a prominent proponent of this monetary approach and is credited with introducing the term into English through his publication Silver Vindicated (1876). Other significant works by him include Mécanique de l'échange (1861), Illusion des sociétés coopératives (1886), Le Bimétallisme en Angleterre (1879), and Le Grand Procès de l'Union latine (1884).