From Shepard to Barber to Ichnologist: The Marie Rouault Story

Abstract Marie Rouault was a French-born self-made paleontologist who left school at the age of 10. He then worked as a shepherd and spent a considerable portion of his life as a barber. During this period, he developed a keen interest in the rocks surrounding the city of Rennes in Brittany, northwestern France. All his free time was spent collecting the prolific fossils that he encountered. His collection grew to such an extent that he opened a private museum and he attracted the attention of notable geologists in Paris. Finally, in 1853, the municipality decided to create, a “Geological Museum” of which he became, Director-Curator. On his appointment, he donated his samples to the city, part of which were placed at the Town Hall, the rest remained at his residence. On 28 July 1875 Rouault was informed that the Rennes City Council demanded the creation of a commission of inquiry. The results of this survey were catastrophic for Rouault and he was ultimately dismissed. Despite his early scientific success, Rouault did not publish anything for a period of 20 years (1858 to 1878). This sad end to Rouault’s career terminated with his death on December 16, 1881. From an ichnological point of view his most significant publications were done in 1850 and in a book following his death entitled Oeuvres Posthumes de Marie Rouault edited and augmented by Paul Lebesconte a pharmacist and amateur geologist from Rennes.