Conference - Nicolas Baudin, a naturalist sailor at the service of the consulate

What an extraordinary life Nicolas Baudin led! A sailor, naturalist, explorer, draughtsman and scientist, he served in France and Austria, discovered unknown species and brought the mimosa, the clove and most of the collections of the Natural History Museum back to France in 1800. And yet, in France, he is virtually forgotten.

Born into a family of Rhaetan shipowners, he sailed as a merchant, fighting in America during the War of Independence before offering his services to the Austrian...