Henri Victor Regnault

Henri Victor Regnault , 1810-78, French physicist and chemist. He was professor of chemistry at the École polytechnique, Paris, from 1840 and at the Collège de France from 1841; he became chief engineer of mines (1847) and director of the porcelain manufactory at Sèvres (1854). In chemistry he is known for his work on the halogen and other derivatives of the unsaturated hydrocarbons. In physics he is noted for his careful measurements of the specific heats and expansion coefficients of many gases, liquids, and solids. He showed that Boyle's law is only approximately true for real gases, and he did important research on the operation of steam engines.

Regnault, Henri (b Paris, 30 Oct. 1843; d Buzenval, 19 Jan. 1871). French history painter, son of a notable scientist and photographer, Victor Regnault. He won the Prix de Rome in 1866 and spent two years in Italy before moving to Spain, where he was allowed to continue working under the terms of his scholarship, and then in 1870 to Morocco. The pictures that he sent back for exhibition at the Salon were acclaimed for their ardour, colour, and vigorous handling (Automedon Taming the Horses of Achilles, 1868, MFA, Boston) and he was spoken of as the heir of Delacroix. However, after volunteering for service in the Franco-Prussian War he was killed in action at the age of 27. His patriotic death, coupled with his talent and his attractive personality, made him a national hero. There were several memorial books and exhibitions over the next few years and a monument to him was placed in the courtyard of the École des Beaux-Arts.