Exhibition
Sophie Germain - Numbers at all costs
Start date :
This exhibition traces the atypical life of Sophie Germain, mathematician from the 19th century.
Introduction
Back in the days when access to the universities was reserved for men, Sophie Germain used the male name of Monsieur Leblanc to correspond with the most important mathematicians of her time, such as Joseph Louis Lagrange and Carl Friedrich Gauss. Impressed by her talent, they encouraged her to devote herself to her passion for mathematics, even when she finally revealed her true identity.
The exhibition also presents some of the work of this mathematician who studied number theory, the theory of elastic surfaces and the notion of mean curvature. Her work was rewarded in 1815 with the Grand Prix des sciences mathématiques of the Académie des sciences.
Year of creation
2016, updated in 2026
Realisation
Production: the exhibition was conceived by the Institut Henri Poincaré in partnership with the Centre Francois Viète d'Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques of the Faculty of Nantes, with the support of Fonds de Dotation de l'IHP (Endowment Fund).
Exhibition curator: Jenny Boucard
Graphic design: Judith Lorne / Illustrations: Constanza Rojas-Molina
Technical details
The exhibition is composed of 11 panels in canvases 120 cm high and 80 cm wide.
Exhibitions are available for borrowing in digital format. The panels should be printed in A0 format or in homothetic format.
Informations
From April 1st, 2026
Sorbonne Université - Site Curie grating on the street side - 11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris.
The original exhibition, called "Sophie Germain: 1776–1831", was held from March 18 to May 18, 2016 at the IHP Library.
Public
From age 15.
Loan terms and conditions
The loan of the exhibitions is free of charge upon reservation.
The borrower is responsible for printing the exhibition.
Translation
This exhibition is currently only available in French.
Would you like to borrow this exhibition in another language? Contact us!