Etienne Leopold Trouvelot

Étienne Léopold Trouvelot was an artist, astronomer, and naturalist. Born in France, he and his family fled to America and settled in Massachusetts in the 1850's.

Initially, he focused on his pursuits as an amateur entomologist. This did not go well. Trouvelot imported moth larvae from Europe in an attempt to establish an American silk industry. The invasive species was not contained and the Gypsy moth continues to be a problem in North America.

Fortunately, Trouvelot's subsequent work as a trailblazing scientific illustrator was a success. With an artist's training and a naturalist's curiosity, he produced thousands of drawings of astronomical observations. These images conveyed knowledge and beauty of the cosmos to the public.

Many of the images were developed when he was a staff members at the Harvard College Observatory, where he was hired in 1872 by Joseph Winlock. The Observatory provided access to powerful telescopes which, in turn, gave Trouvelot access to magnified images.

Even with the advance of astronomical photography years later, Trouvelot's images are still appreciated for their ability to impart both information and wonder.