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1798
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According to
Institut de France (1995), p.124,
on 1798, August 22, less than two months after landing at Alexandria,
the young Buonaparte, member of the
Institut de France, and general
in chief, who had taken with him some famous scholars and young
enthusiasts, set up in Cairo the Institut d'Égypte,
which was charged with the research, study and publication of physical,
industrial and historical facts about Egypt.
The Brtitish victory compelled the members of the
Institut d'Égypte in June 1801 to return to France
(Institut de France (1995), p.124).
But the Institut de France
had already on 1800, January 25, decided to allow members of the
Institut d'Égypte to attend sessions of the Classes
of the Institut de France.
This appears to have ended the formal existence of the
Institut d'Égypte, although for several years afterward,
scholars who had previously been members of the Institut
d'Égypte
continued to publish findings that stemmed from their activities as
members of that body.
From 1809-1828, the first edition of the following publication appeared
(at first under the Imperial imprint):
Description de l'Egypte : ou recueil des observations et des
recherches, qui ont été faites en Egypte pendant
l'expédition de l'armie française / Publ. par les ordres de
Sa Maj. l'Empereur Napoleon le Grand
[found in various copies of varying numbers of volumes: often at least
9 volumes of text, and 10 volumes of plates]
(Bibliot. Nat. France cat.)
NOTE: Although the bibliographic description does not refer to the
Institut d'Égypte, it seems likely that a significant
amount of the information in this publication must have been gathered by
members of the Institut d'Égypte.
There is also a present-day society named Institut
d'Égypte
that was founded in 1918.
This present-day society was preceded by a society named
Institut Egyptien founded at least as early as 1859.
The entry for this present-day society in the
Saur World Guide gives its founding date as 1798, indicating that the
current society considers the 1798-1801 society its ultimate predecessor.
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