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Albert Tissandier

Portrait of Albert   Tissandier

Albert Tissandier (1839, Paris – 5 Sept 1906, Jurançon, France) was a French architect, aviator, illustrator, editor and archaeologist who founded with brother Gaston Tissandier (1843−1899) [1] the popular science magazine La Nature in 1873, the two being intrepid balloonists and demonstrating together the first electric powered flight in 1883.

After experimenting with various airships, befriending another fervent baloonist, Gaspard-Félix Tournachon (5 April 1820 – 20 March 1910), better known as Nadar or Félix Nadar, the legendary French photographer who was the first to take aerial photographs in 1858, Albert Tissandier became an avid traveler, first visiting North America, then India, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] and China. In 1893 – 1894, he conducted an in-depth study of Khmer and Javanese ancient temples at the request of the French Ministry of Public Instruction and Fine Arts. He brought back numerous artworks from that journey.

[1] Gaston Tissandier was the author of Les merveilles de la photographie, Paris, Hachette, 1874 (2nd ed.)

Albert grabriel tissandier library of congress
Albert grabriel tissandier library of congress2
Two illustrations showing Albert and Gaston Tissandier as pioneer balloonists [photos from Tissandier Collection at Library of Congress, USA]

Publications

  1. Six mois aux Etats-Unis, voyagae d’un touriste dans l’Amérique du Nord, suivis d’une excursion à Panama, Paris, G. Masson, 1886 [texts and drawings]
  2. Les temples souterrains de l’Inde, extrait de La Construction Moderne, Paris, Imprimerie F. Levé, 1889 [texts and drawings]
  3. Voyage autour du Monde: Inde et Ceylan — Chine et Japon, Paris, G. Masson, 1887−1890−1891 [texts and drawings]
  4. Cambodge et Java, Ruines Khmères et Javanaises 1893 – 1894, Paris, G. Masson, 1896.