Louis-Henri Brévière
Illustration — Louis-Henri Brévière (date unknown) Louis-Henri Brévière (15 December 1797, in Forges-les-Eaux – 2 June 1869, in Hyères) was a French engraver. He became known for reviving wood-engraving using a burin; which had fallen into neglect since the seventeenth century.
Also recorded as Louis-Henri Breviere
Louis-Henri Brévière

Louis-Henri Brévière / David d'Angers · Mémoires de la Société royale des antiquaires de France, Vol. 14, Paris, 1838, p. cv et première de couverture. · Public domain
- Born
- 1797 · Forges-les-Eaux.
- Died
- 1869 · Hyères.
- Nationality
- France
- Occupation
- printmaker
- Languages
- French
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Louis-Henri Brévière (date unknown) Louis-Henri Brévière (15 December 1797, in Forges-les-Eaux – 2 June 1869, in Hyères) was a French engraver. He became known for reviving wood-engraving using a burin; which had fallen into neglect since the seventeenth century.
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Note VALÉORINE
Louis-Henri Brévière (1797–1869) was a printmaker, of French nationality. The printmaker was born in Forges-les-Eaux and died in Hyères.
Louis-Henri Brévière worked for IN Groupe and was a member of Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen, Commission départementale des Antiquités de la Seine-Maritime and Société des antiquaires de Normandie, among others. The printmaker held the position of director and lived in Paris and Rouen. Languages used include French.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q3260577 · wikipedia · Louis-Henri Brévière
In this article
Biography
Biography
He studied at the École de Dessin in Rouen, directed by Marc-Antoine Descamps, the founder's son. From 1820 to 1830, he had a shop in Rouen. In 1823, he perfected a process for engraving the scrolls that were used for printing indiennes; a type of textile. During this time, he became a member of the Société libre d'émulation de la Seine-Maritime, the Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen, and the Commission départementale des Antiquités de la Seine-Maritime. In 1834, he received a gold medal at the municipal exposition of fine arts and, in 1839, a large silver medal at the Salon in Paris. Shortly after. he was appointed Director of Engraving at the Imprimerie Nationale. He purchased the Imprimerie Monton, in Les Andelys, in 1855. He retired to Rouen in 1863, where he wrote his memoirs, and died in Hyères, where he had gone to spend the winter. A square in his hometown was nemd after him. In 1873, a small monument with a bust was erected there; designed by Jules Adeline and sculpted by Louis Auvray. The bust was melted down during World War II. He created over 3,000 pieces, including illustrations for several titles in The Human Comedy by Balzac, Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. In addition, he wrote De la xylographie, ou gravure sur bois (Of Xylography; or engraving on Wood, 1833). • Illustration — The Gardens of the Château de Gaillon
Career and activity
Career and activity
He was employed by IN Groupe. Recorded position is director. He belonged to Société libre d'émulation de la Seine-Maritime, Académie des sciences, belles-lettres et arts de Rouen, Commission départementale des Antiquités de la Seine-Maritime and Société des antiquaires de Normandie. He worked at Rouen and Paris.

Illustration of Honoré de Balzac 's Le Colonel Chabert (1832).
Bertall (1820–1882) and engraved by Louis-Henri Brévière · Honoré de Balzac, Œuvres complètes: La comédie humaine

Illustration of Honoré de Balzac 's César Birotteau (1837).
Bertall (1820–1882) and engraved by Louis-Henri Brévière · Honoré de Balzac, Oeuvres complètes: La comédie humaine
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1797
Louis-Henri Brévière born at Forges-les-Eaux.
1869
Louis-Henri Brévière died at Hyères.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Rouen and Paris
Residences
Forges-les-Eaux.
Birth place
Hyères.
Death place
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Journal de Rouen, 13 June 1869, pg.1
- 2."Inauguration du monument de Henri Brévière", Journal de Rouen, 6 October 1873, pg.2
Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- Alfred Baudry, Rapport sur les travaux de Henri Brévière, dessinateur et graveur, Rouen, Henry Boissel, 1869.
- Jules Adeline, L.-H. Brévière, dessinateur et graveur, rénovateur de la gravure sur bois en France, 1797-1869; notes sur la vie et les œuvres d'un artiste normand, Rouen, E. Augé, 1876
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q3260577: Louis-Henri BrévièreWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
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People, houses and institutions
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Died at
1- HyèresPlace
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Prints
4,138 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Louis Pierre Henriquel-DupontEngraver
- Louis Théophile HingreEngraver
- Louis TinayreEngraver
- Louis TruchyEngraver
- Louis-Jacques CathelinEngraver
- Louis-Jacques GoussierEngraver
- Louis-Joseph Le LorrainEngraver
- Louis-Joseph MasquelierEngraver
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