Langlois, C.H. Paintings

Charles-Victor Langlois, commonly known as C.H. Langlois, was not an artist in the traditional sense of painting or sculpture, but an influential French historian and archivist who made significant contributions to the methodology of history and the preservation of historical documents. Born on May 26, 1863, in Rouen, France, Langlois was deeply involved in the academic study of history and the development of historiography during his lifetime.

Langlois pursued his education at the prestigious École Nationale des Chartes, where he received thorough training in the handling and interpretation of historical documents. This early academic preparation set the course for his future career. He became a noted member of the Annales School, which was a group of historians that focused on a more scientific and rigorous approach to studying history, emphasizing social and economic factors over the traditional narrative approach that focused on high politics and diplomacy.

Throughout his career, Langlois collaborated with fellow historian Charles Seignobos to publish a number of influential works. One of their most famous collaborations is the methodological guide 'Introduction aux études historiques' (1898), which became a seminal work in the field of historiography. The book argues for a scientific approach to the study of history, one that includes rigorous source criticism and the systematic analysis of historical documentation.

Langlois's contributions to the field of history were not limited to his methodological work. He also served as the director of the French National Archives and as a professor at the Sorbonne, where he taught medieval history. In these roles, he was responsible for the preservation of historical documents and for training a new generation of historians in the methods he had helped to develop.

C.H. Langlois's impact on the discipline of history is still felt today. His emphasis on primary sources, critical analysis, and the social context of historical events helped to modernize the field of history and set it on a more scientific and empirical path. He passed away on June 25, 1929, in Paris, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneer in the field of historiography and historical methodology.