Marie-Anne Paulze

Paulze was Lavoisier’s wife and importantly, his collaborator; later she (briefly and stormily) married Rumford. Lavoisier’s co-worker Laplace was fond of her, but Guyton was cold-shouldered for not having supported him. She studied with David and painted her close friend Franklin. Her visitors included Monge, Berthollet, Fourcroy, Lagrange, Arago, Biot, Delambre, Humboldt, Edgeworth, Priestley, Watt and Young. She converted Saussure, a correspondent, to the ‘new’ chemistry. Cuvier thanked her warmly for the two volumes of Lavoisier’s research that she produced after his death. Banks sent her a gift of passion-fruit.