PYROTECHNICIAN - Désiré RUGGIERI (1817–1885, Pyrotechnician, - Lot 315

Lot 315
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PYROTECHNICIAN - Désiré RUGGIERI (1817–1885, Pyrotechnician, - Lot 315
PYROTECHNICIAN - Désiré RUGGIERI (1817–1885, Pyrotechnician, son of Claude Ruggieri, pyrotechnician to Napoleon I, and grandson of Petroni Ruggieri, pyrotechnician to Louis XV - In 1835, he joined Ingres’s studio to learn the basics of drawing and succeeded his father upon his death in 1841 in the family business—he would go on to serve as pyrotechnician to Napoleon III, who granted him his friendship and protection) / Signed autograph letter, 3 pages, small in-4 format plus an address page with postage, Bellegarde (Gard), June 15, 1838, to Mr. Lormier in Paris (Mr. Lormier was the “physicist” at the Paris Opera, in charge of special effects; he used chemicals and pyrotechnics —His son Paul Lormier, a costume designer at the Opera, was a classmate of Désiré Ruggieri in Ingres’s studio): He writes to give an update on himself and asks for news of the entire Lormier family: “I always look to see if Paul’s name appears at the Salon exhibitions, but I haven’t seen anything yet. Could it be that he has neglected the talent he once showed?” “Tell me how things are going at the Opera—if you’re still working on anything there and if there are any new effects. This reminds me of a discussion I had a few days ago with our doctor regarding combined gas lighting. He claims it’s impossible because of the risk of explosion under any circumstances. Please, I beg you, give me some details about the experiments that have been conducted—both for the microscope lamp and for large-scale lighting—so that I can convince this skeptic."
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