DENON, Dommottri VIVANT, Baron, was h. at Chillons-sur-Sa6ne, Jan. 4, 1747. At an early period, he went to Paris, to study law, but quickly betook himself to the fine arts, and acquired a high reputation as an amateur and art critic. During a residence in Southern Italy, he spent much of his time in studying etching and mezzotint engrav in.', and along with the abbe St. Non, wrote a Voyage Pittoresgue de _Naples et de Skits (Par. 1788). Afterwards, lie lived at Venice, and other Italian cities, hut returned to France during the revolution. Having, at the house of Mme. Beauharnais, formed the acquaintance of Bonaparte, he was chosen by him to accompany the expedition to Egypt in the capacity of a saran& He was indefatigable in drawing the relics of ancient Egyptian art. In 1802, he published his Voyage dans la Basso et la Halite Egypte, the engravings attached to which admirable work are very correct, and prove D. to have been a skillful artist. As a member of the Egyptian institute, he had also the most
important part in the Description de l'Egypte drawn up by that learned body. Bona parte now made him inspector-general of museums, in which Capacity lie exhibited great ahility. He accompanied Bonaparte in various subsequent expeditions, and sugn-ested to him what art-treasures of the conquered cities would be most suitable for the Louvre. After 1815, he was dismissed from his office. The remaining years of his life were occu pied in preparing for publication a history of art, to be illustrated by the best artists, but lie did not live to finish it, having died 27th April, 1825. D.'s work was completed by Amaury Duval, and published in 1829, under the title Monuments des Arts du Darin, chez is Peuptcs taut Anciens gee Noded.pcs. A himself executed as many as 300 etchings, chiefly imitations of the stylo of Rembrandt.