This is a beautiful library of Jean-Baptiste Charcot. But more than a story, this book is presented as an object, a rich box. It is large and highly illustrated, and also includes numerous reproductions of documents from the commander's personal archives.
It's the kind of book that makes you want to be an explorer. A book where the images speak for themselves, from a time when boats were still sailing across the Atlantic.
This explorer (1867 - 1936) of the poles had a real adventurous life since his first expeditions before having the Pourquoi Pas? built in Saint-Malo (the 4th of the name). If the painter Marin-Marie sailed on a sailboat and immortalized the sailboat in the ice and Charcot in its crow's nest, this ship has also known many discoveries in the great south in Antarctica and in the North in Greenland. It will end its life, accompanied by that of Commander Charcot and all the crew (except one survivor!) on the reefs of Iceland. Just after dropping off another famous explorer in Greenland: Paul-Emile Victor.
The book retraces the life of Commandant Charcot by entering into his intimacy. It is punctuated with letters, official papers, handwritten documents from the family's personal collection and reproduced here identically (with the same yellowed paper).
Before being an explorer, Charcot was first and foremost a sailor. He sails on his sailing or steam boats all over the world. A keen regatta sailor, he even won an Olympic medal in 1900. He was also president of the Yacht Club de France.
The book retraces the life of the 4 Whys-Not? for which he drew a black and white flag with a question mark on it. During the First World War, he imagines a cargo-trap to fight against the German submarines. He will sail on the Meg without being able to confront the enemy.
More than a simple bibliography on a life rich in adventure, this beautiful book retraces the life of the early 20th century in which he is happy to immerse himself.
Jean-Baptiste Charcot - Explorer of the Poles
By Serge Kahn
Editions Glénat
24.3 x 31.8 cm
45.00 euros
