Pierre Gasendi, French scientist and mathematician, mid-17th century.

Portrait made in 1763 of Gasendi (1592-1655) who was a teacher, priest and philosopher as well as being a leading mathematician. He was opposed to Aristotelianism, attempting rather to reconcile Atomism and Epicurean ethics with Christian concepts such as immortality, free will and creation. Illustration from 'Histoire des philosophes modernes' (History of modern philosophers), by Alexandre Saverien (1720-1805), published in Paris in 1763.