PALISSY, BERNARD, a French potter, famous for his glass paintings and beautiful . figured pottery, was b. near Agen, now in the department of Lot et Garonne, Franc:, about -1510, and at an early age was apprenticed to a potter. He devoted himself to chemical researches for the improvement of his art, and made many journeys through France and Germany for the same purpose; at the same time carrying on the business of a land-surveyor. An enameled cup of "Faience," which he saw by chance, inspired him with the resolution to discover the mode of producing white enamel. Neglecting all other labors, lie devoted himself to investigations and experiments for the long perio.1 of 16 years. He had by this time exhausted all his resources, and for want of money to buy fuel was reduced to the necessity of burning his household furniture piece by piece; his neighbors laughed at him, his wife overwhelmed him with reproaches, and his starving family surrounded him crying for food; but in spite of all these discourage ments he persisted in the search, and was in the end rewarded by success. A few vessels adorned with figures of animals, colored to represent nature, sold for high prices, and enabled him to complete his investigations, after which lie became famous; and though a Huguenot, was protected and encouraged by the king and the nobility, who employed him to embellish their mansions with specimens of his art. He was lodged in or near'
the Tuileries, and was specially exempted by queen Catherine from the massacre of St. Bartholomew, more from a regard to her own benefit than from kindness. In March, 1575, be commenced a course of lectures on natural history and physics, and was the first in France to substitute positive facts and rigorous demonstrations for the fanciful inter pretations of philosophers. In the course of these lectures, he gave (1584) the first right notions of the origin of springs, and the formation of stones and fossil shells, and strongly advocated the importance of marl as a fertilizing agent. These, along with his theories regarding the best means of purifying water, have been fully supported by recent discovery and investigation. In 1588 he was arrested and thrown into the Bastille as a heretic. but died in 1590 before his sentence was pronounced.
Palissy left a collection of objects of natural history, the first that had been formed in France. His works are at the present day almost beyond price, and his ornaments end arabesques are amongst the most beautiful of the " renaissance." As a sincere, earnest, and courageous man, he was no less eminent than as an artist.