Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 09.djvu/175

Carpentière 1856. In connection with the work of his department, he published 'A Guide to Drawings and Prints exhibited to the Public in the King's Library' [at the British Museum], of which there were editions in 1858, 1859 and 1862, 8vo.

[Gent. Mag. (4th ser, 1888). ii. 410, 411; Men of the Time (6th ed.), 1865; Proceedings of the Soc. of Antiq. (2nd ser.), iii. 480 (President's Address, 30 April 1867); Statutes and Rules of the British Museum, 1871; Cat. of Nat. Portrait Gallery.]  DONE  CARPENTIÈRE or CHARPENTIÈRE, —— (d. 1737), statuary, was much employed by the Duke of Chandos at Canons. He was for some years principal assistant to Van Ost, the modeller of the statue of George I, once at Canons and afterwards in Leicester Square. Carpentière afterwards set up for himself, and towards the end of his life kept a manufactory of leaden statues in Piccadilly. He was over sixty when he died in 1737.

 CARPENTIERS, CARPENTIER, or CHARPENTIÈRE, ADRIEN (fl. 1760–1774), portrait painter, was one of the artists who signed the deed of the Free Society of Artists in 1763. He sent pictures to the exhibitions of that society and to those of the Society of Artists and the Royal Academy (fourteen works in all) between 1760 and 1774, both inclusive. He is said to have been a native of France or Switzerland who settled in England about 1760. He died at Pimlico about 1778 at an advanced age. No connection has been traced between him and Carpentière or Charpentière [q. v.] A portrait of Roubiliac by him is in the National Portrait Gallery, which has been engraved by Chambers in line and by Martin in mezzotint. His own portrait is in Salters' Hall.

 CARPUE, JOSEPH CONSTANTINE (1764–1846), surgeon and anatomist, was born in London on 4 May 1764. His father, a gentleman of small fortune, lived at Brook Green, and was descended from a Spanish catholic family. Young Carpue was intended for the priesthood, and was educated at the Jesuits' College at Douay. At the age of eighteen he commenced an extended continental tour. He saw much of Paris, both before and after the revolution. Carpue was of a somewhat erratic disposition, and, having decided against the church, thought first of becoming a bookseller, that he might succeed his uncle, Lewis, of Great Russell Street, Covent Garden, the schoolfellow and friend of Pope. Later he felt strongly attracted in succession to the bar and the stage, being an enthusiastic student of Shakespeare. At last he fixed on surgery, and studied at St. George's Hospital. On becoming qualified he was appointed staff-surgeon to the Duke of York's Hospital, Chelsea, which appointment he held for twelve years, resigning on account of his objection to foreign service. His association with Dr. Pearson at St. George's Hospital led to his becoming an ardent vaccinator. In order to promote vaccination he visited many English military depôts; and finally, on his resignation of the hospital, he was appointed surgeon, with Pearson, of the National Vaccine Institution, a post he held till his death.

Carpue was, however, most distinguished as an anatomical teacher, although never on the staff of a medical school. At the Duke of York's Hospital he spared no trouble in perfecting his anatomical knowledge; and he commenced teaching in 1800, owing to an accidental observation of a medical student. His fee from the first was invariably twenty guineas. For many years he had an overflowing class. He gave three courses of daily lectures on anatomy, and lectured twice a week in the evenings on surgery. He made his pupils take a personal share in his demonstrations, and his readiness with chalk illustrations procured him the sobriquet of the ‘chalk lecturer.’ He took a most affectionate interest in his pupils. Carpue lectured till 1832. Early in his career he carried out the wish of Benjamin West, P.R.A., Banks, and Cosway, to ascertain how a recently killed corpse would hang on a cross. A murderer just executed was treated in this manner, and when cool a cast was made (Lancet, 1846, i. 167).

In 1801 Carpue published a ‘Description of the Muscles of the Human Body,’ and in 1816 an ‘Account of Two Successful Operations for Restoring a Lost Nose from the Integument of the Forehead.’ In 1819 he published a ‘History of the High Operation for the Stone, by Incision above the Pubis.’ He also studied medical electricity, and in 1803 brought out ‘An Introduction to Electricity and Galvanism, with Cases showing their Effects in the Cure of Disease.’ He kept a fine plate (electrical) machine in his dining-room, and made many experimental researches on the subject.

Carpue was introduced to and much appreciated by George IV, both before and after his 