Paul Fourdrinier facts for kids

Paul Fourdrinier (born December 20, 1698 – died February 18, 1758) was a talented engraver who worked in England during the 1700s. He is sometimes also called Peter or Pierre Fourdrinier.

Biography of Paul Fourdrinier

Paul Fourdrinier was born in Groningen, Netherlands, on December 20, 1698. His parents, Jacques and Jeanne Fourdrinier, were Huguenot refugees from Dieppe, France. Huguenots were French Protestants who had to leave their home country because of religious persecution.

Paul studied with a famous artist named Bernard Picart in Amsterdam for six years. In 1720, he moved to England. There, he became known for engraving portraits and pictures for books. He also engraved two marine (sea) paintings by Peter Monamy, which were shown in the famous Vauxhall Gardens. These engravings were published in 1743.

Starting in 1742, Fourdrinier created a series of books. These books contained many detailed charts. They showed the history of colonels in the British army up to 1742. They also included other information about British military and naval staff.

Understanding Paul Fourdrinier's Name

For a long time, people thought there were two different engravers: Peter (or Pierre) Fourdrinier and Paul Fourdrinier. However, the 2004 edition of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography clarified this. It explained that "Peter" or "Pierre" was actually a mistake. All the works were done by one person: Paul Fourdrinier.

Paul Fourdrinier lived in the parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. He was married to Susanna Grolleau. They had at least five children. He passed away in early 1758.

His grandsons, Henry and Sealy Fourdrinier, later invented an important machine. It was called the Fourdrinier machine, and it changed how paper was made. His great-granddaughter, Jemima Fourdrinier, was the mother of a very famous religious leader, Cardinal John Henry Newman.

All of Paul Fourdrinier's engravings are signed "P. Fourdrinier." He also started a stationery business. His son Henry and grandsons Henry and Sealy continued to run this business for many years.

Paul Fourdrinier's Engravings and Works

Paul Fourdrinier was a very busy engraver. He created many different types of works.

Engraved Portraits

He engraved portraits of several important people, including:

• Cardinal Wolsey and Bishop Tonstall for a book about Wolsey's life.
• John Radcliffe, a doctor.
• William Pattison, a poet.
• William Conolly, a speaker in the Irish House of Commons.
• Jonathan Swift, a famous writer.
• Dr. John Friend.
• Thomas Wright.

Book Illustrations

Paul Fourdrinier also created plates (illustrations) for many books, such as:

• Robert Castell's 'Villas of the Ancients'.
• Sir W. Chambers's 'Civil Architecture'.
• 'Poems on Several Occasions' by John Gay, published in 1731.
• 'The Four Ages of Man'.
• One of Lemprière's views of Belem, near Lisbon, before a big earthquake.
• Spenser's 'Calendarium Pastorale' (London, 1732).
• Ware's 'Views and Elevations of Houghton House, Norfolk'.
• Wood's 'Ruins of Palmyra'.
• 'Louthiana: or, An introduction to the antiquities of Ireland' by Thomas Wright, published in 1758. This book showed many old ruins and interesting sites in County Louth, Ireland.
• Other engravings based on designs by famous architects like Inigo Jones and W. Kent.
• Dr. Humphrey Prideaux's "The Old and New Testament Connected".