Les autres de l'un : deux enqu\^etes prosopographiques sur Charles Hermite

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how prosopography, typically used for large populations, can be applied to study an individual, Charles Hermite, revealing unique aspects of his character and influence through detailed biographical analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach of using prosopography to analyze a single exceptional individual, providing new insights into Hermite's role and characteristics.

Findings

Prosopography can reveal Hermite's role as a mediator.

It uncovers Hermite's specific reactions to mathematical themes.

The method captures unique personal traits of Hermite.

Abstract

Prosopography is usually used to globally describe a large population of ordinary subjects. It is thus opposed to biography, as a genre devoted to exceptional individuals. I show in this article how to use prosopography to study a single person, an exceptional mathematician, Charles Hermite. I construct several prosopographies (f.i. that of the authors quoted by Hermite, or that of the people writing number-theoretical texts between 1870 and 1914) and show how they allow to capture singular characteristics of Hermite, f.i. his role as a mediator, his mathematical reactions to specific themes, etc.