Charles Alexandre Lesueur

Charles Alexandre Lesueur (1778-1846) was a French naturalist, artist, and explorer renowned for his exquisite scientific illustrations and pioneering studies of marine life, fish, and invertebrates, having previously sailed on an important French scientific expedition to Australia. At New Harmony, he became a central figure in the community's scientific circle, working closely with Thomas Say and William Maclure while creating detailed illustrations of American fauna and documenting frontier life through his art. His legacy includes thousands of precise zoological drawings and watercolors that advanced natural history illustration as both a scientific tool and an art form, bridging European and American scientific traditions. Learn about his life and explore his legacy here.

Who was Charles Alexandre Lesueur?

Charles Alexandre Lesueur, naturalist and artist, was born in 1778, in Le Havre, France. He came to New Harmony on The Philanthropist (nicknamed the "Boatload of Knowledge") and contributed his share of "knowledge" to the boat.

As a naturalist, Lesueur was world famous for his classification of the fishes in the Great Lakes. He was the first to explore and to publish accounts of Indian mounds and, with William Maclure, was the scientist who studied the Native American burial sites in the Harmonist cemetery. As a naturalist, Lesueur had taken a trip to Australia during the Baudin expedition to describe the strange animals of that continent. Prior to coming to Indiana, he had traveled with William Maclure to France, Spain, and the West Indies. He then followed Maclure to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and hence to New Harmony. Lesueur discovered new species of fish and planned to publish American Ichthyology or Natural History of the Fishes of North America.

Lesueur was an adept painter and sketched scenes of the voyage of The Philanthropist and the environs of New Harmony, leaving an accurate record of the appearance of the town in the Owen period. Unfortunately, he did not leave a self-portrait. Lesueur, while in New Harmony, had grown a long beard, which he braided and tucked into his coat. As he walked the streets of New Harmony with his three dogs, Penny, Snap, and Butcher, fellow artist, Karl Bodmer, did two splendid portraits of Lesueur. In his diary, Prince Maximilian of Wied describes Lesueur as an "old man" with clearly defined features even though he was actually only fifty-four at the time.

Lesueur had a close relationship with Thomas Say and often made walking tours with him. When he and naturalist Gerard Troost took a tour through Indiana and Illinois, they brought back thirteen chests of natural curiosities. In addition to his sketches of the scientific expeditions, he painted scenery for the theatre during the Owen days and later. Lesueur had taught at Maclure's school, leaving an impression on the future.

In 1837, Lesueur returned to his birthplace in France where he became the first curator of the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Le Havre. He was also engaged by the Jardins des Plantes in Paris to create a collection of the various objects of natural history. Today, we do appreciate his sketches giving us a picture of people and places from a time long ago.

Adapted from Janet R. Walker, "Charles Alexandre Lesueur," in Wonder Workers on the Wabash (New Harmony, IN: Historic New Harmony, 1999), 14-16.