Count of Lacepede (1756-1825), French naturalist, with Napoleon I (or Bonaparte), Emperor of France (1796-1821, ruled as Emperor from 1804-1814). The Count of Lacepede (Bernard Germain Etienne de la Ville) was a renowned naturalist who continued the work started by Buffon, publishing many volumes of natural history between 1788 and 1804. After this date, he was mainly occupied as a politician. He became a minister of state in 1804, and was made a peer of France in 1819. He also wrote treatises on music, physics, electricity and history. This is a French artwork from the early 20th century.