DENON, DOMINIQUE VIVANT, BARON DE (1747– '825), French artist and archaeologist, was born at Chalon-sur SaOne on Jan. 4, i747. He studied law in Paris, and in his twenty third year produced a comedy, Le Bon Pere, which obtained a succes d'estime. Louis XV. entrusted him with the collection and arrangement of a cabinet of medals and antique gems for Madame de Pompadour, and appointed him attache to the French em bassy at St. Petersburg. On the accession of Louis XVI. Denon was transferred to Sweden ; but he returned, after a brief interval, to Paris with the ambassador de Vergennes, who had been ap pointed foreign minister. In 1775 Denon was sent on a special mission to Switzerland, and visited Voltaire at Ferney. He made a portrait of the philosopher, which was engraved and published on his return to Paris. He spent seven years (178o-87) at Naples, first as secretary to the embassy and afterwards as charge d'affaires. After a brief interval spent in Paris he returned to Italy, living chiefly at Venice. During the Revolution he returned to Paris, where he was protected by his friend the painter David. At Bonaparte's invitation he joined the expedition to Egypt, and there made numerous sketches of the monuments of ancient art, sometimes under the very fire of the enemy. The results were published in his Voyage dans la basse et la haute Egypte (2 vols. fol., with 141 plates, Paris, i8o2). From 1804 to 1815 he was director-general of museums. He accompanied Napoleon in his expeditions to Austria, Spain and Poland, advising the conqueror in his choice of spoils of art from the various cities pillaged. He died in Paris on April 27, 1825. He left unfinished a history of ancient and modern art, with admirable engravings, which was published posthumously, with an explanatory text by Amaury Duval, under the title Monuments des arts du dessin chez les peuples tant anciens que modernes, recueillis par Vivant Denon (4 vols. fol., Paris, 1829)• See J. Renouvier, Histoire de Part pendant la Revolution; A. de la Fizeliere L'Oeuvre originale de Vivant-Denon (2 vols., 1872-1873) ; Roger Portallis, Les Dessinateurs d'illustrations au XVIlle siecle: D. H. Beraldi, Les Graveurs d'illustrations au XVIlle siecle.