caption death_date death_place birth_place nationality birth_date image article_title name occupation
bust of henri cernuschi , artist unknown . 11 may 1896 menton milan french 19 february 1821 musée -rrb- . jpg cernuschi - bust of henri cernuschi -lrb- 1821-96 henri cernuschi
 henri cernuschi banker
henri cernuschi

henri cernuschi -lrb- `` enrico cernuschi '' in italian -rrb- -lrb- february 19 , 1821 -- may 11 , 1896 -rrb- , was a major french banker , economist and asian art collector , who started off as an italian politician in 1848-1850 .
he was born of wealthy parents at milan , and was destined for the legal profession .
during his studies he became involved in the revolutionary movement .
he played a conspicuous part in the insurrection at milan in 1848 , and also at rome in 1849 , where he had a seat in the national assembly .
on the collapse of the revolutionary government he was arrested -lrb- 1850 -rrb- , but managed to escape to france , where he engaged in commerce and banking , became naturalized , and acquired a large fortune .
he took a prominent part in opposing the socialist movement , and in april 1870 , having subscribed a large sum to the funds of a committee formed to combat the napoleonic plebiscite , had to leave the country .
in september the formation of the third republic enabled cernuschi to return , but he soon left paris to travel in the far east .
he returned with a fine art collection that he would constantly expand upon for the remainder of his life .
he bequeathed his collection to the city of paris as well as his private residence at no 7 .
avenue valasquez on the edge of parc monceau in the 8th arrondissement to be used as a museum .
open to the public today , the cernuschi museum collection includes chinese art , funeral statuary , painted 8th-century silks , neolithic terracottas -lrb- 3rd millennium bc -rrb- , ancient persian bronze objects , an amithaba buddha from the 8th century , plus examples of calligraphy .
as a banker , cernuschi is best known for his publications on financial questions , more especially bimetallism .
of the latter he was an ardent champion , and the word itself is commonly supposed to have originated with him -- at least in its english form it is first found in his `` silver vindicated '' -lrb- 1876 -rrb- .
among his other works may be mentioned : `` mécanique de l'échange '' -lrb- 1861 -rrb- ; `` illusion des sociétés cooperatives '' -lrb- 1886 -rrb- ; `` le bimetallisme en angleterre '' -lrb- 1879 -rrb- ; `` le grand procès de l'union latine '' -lrb- 1884 -rrb- .
he died at menton in 1896 , and was interred at père lachaise cemetery in paris .
