How is mathematical knowledge recorded and preserved across generations? Contrary to the idea that mathematics itself is somehow ‘permanent’, this talk explored heritage-making in mathematics, that is, the people, institutions, and material objects that can give mathematical ideas longevity. It explored the heritage-making found in two very different types of French nineteenth-century libraries: those of famous mathematicians and those of secondary schools. It especially focused on how the recording – and forgetting – of mathematical ideas is influenced by their publishing, political, and intellectual contexts.
Extra Reading
Attar, Karen. “Augustus De Morgan (1806-71), his Reading, and his Library.” in M. Hammond (ed.), The Edinburgh History of Reading: Modern Readers. Edinburgh University Press, 2020. pp. 62-82.
Beeley, Philip and Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán. Mathematical Book Histories: Printing, Provenance, and Practices of Reading. Springer, 2024.
Belhoste, Bruno and Chemla, Karine. “Mathematics, the history of mathematics and Poncelet: the context of the Ecole Polytechnique.” in Chemla, K. Ferreiròs J., Ji L., Scholz E., Wang C. (eds.). The Richness of the History of Mathematics. A Tribute to Jeremy Gray. Springer. 2023. pp. 27-62.
Boudia Soraya, Soubiran Sébastien. “Scientists and their cultural heritage: Knowledge, politics and ambivalent relationships.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science A. 2013. 44(4), pp. 643–651.
Cléry, Matthias. “The origins of a mathematical heritage: The library of Gaston Darboux’s Cabinet of Higher Geometry (1900-1917).” 2025, to appear.
Dhombres, Jean and Dhombres, Nicole. Naissance d’un pouvoir. Science et savants en France, 1793-1824. Payot. 1989.
Eckes, Christophe. “Persona scientifique et patrimonialisation d’archives personnelles contemporaines : autour du cas Jean Leray.” Philosophia Scientiæ. 2022. 26(2). pp. 145-169.
Ehrhardt, Caroline “Bibliothèques privées et conservation des savoirs. Le cas des mathématiques (1750-1850).” Revue de synthèse. 2025. 146 (1-2). pp. 1-38.
Ehrhardt Caroline, Bruneau Olivier, and d’Enfert Renaud. “Patrimonialisation des mathématiques.” Philosophia Scientiæ. 2022. 26(2). pp. 5-17.
Grattan-Guinness, Ivor. Convolutions in French Mathematics, 1800-1840. Birkhaüser. 1990. 3 vol.
Le Lay, Colette. “Les tribulations de la bibliothèque du Bureau des Longitudes.” 2023. online: http://patrimaths.fr/s/patrimaths/page/bureau-des-longitudes
Luciano, Erika. “Turin, 1916, G. Fubini : une expérience de patrimonialisation en théorie des nombres.” Philosophia Scientiæ. 2022. 26(2). pp. 123-144.
Pepe, Luigi. 1996. “La formazione della biblioteca dell’ Ecole Polytechnique. Il contributo involontario del Belgio e dell’Italia.” Bollettino di storia delle scienze matematiche. 1996. 16. pp.155-198.
Schappacher, Norbert. “National Pride in the Interest of Science?The Strasbourg Mathematical Library between Germany and France.” 2025, to appear.
Varry, Dominique. “Revolutionary Seizures and their Consequences for French Library History.” in Raven, James (ed.). Lost Libraries. The Destruction of Great Book Collections Since Antiquity. Springer. 2004. pp. 181-196
Vigeannel-Larive, Odile. “La bibliothèque, laboratoire du mathématicien.” Bulletin des bibliothèques de France 2002, n° 6. https://bbf.enssib.fr/sommaire/2002/6
Professor Caroline Ehrhardt
Caroline Ehrhardt is Professor of History of Science and Deputy Director of IDHE.S at Université Paris 8 professor in history of science at the Université Paris 8 (France). Her research concerns the history of mathematics in France and Europe (1789–1914). She has published on Evariste Galois, on Galois theory and on mathematics education.
Caroline is currently coordinating a collective project funded by the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche, entitled ‘Heritage and patrimonialisation of mathematics, 18th-20th centuries’. She also focuses on the practice of mathematics within French life insurance companies, on interactions between the mathematical and actuarial communities, and the production of mortality tables.
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