Sophie Blanchard, French Aeronaut
Sophie Blanchard (March 25, 1778 - July 6, 1819) was a French aeronaut and the wife of ballooning pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard. She was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist, and after her husband's death she continued ballooning, making more than 60 ascents. She entertained Napoleon Bonaparte, who promoted her to the role of Aeronaut of the Official Festivals, replacing André-Jacques Garnerin. On the restoration of the monarchy in 1814 she performed for Louis XVIII, who named her Official Aeronaut of the Restoration. She lost consciousness on a few occasions, endured freezing temperatures and almost drowned when her balloon crashed in a marsh. In 1819, she became the first woman to be killed in an aviation accident when, during an exhibition in the Tivoli Gardens in Paris, she launched fireworks that ignited the gas in her balloon. Her craft crashed on the roof of a house and she fell to her death at the age of 41. Engraving by Jules Porreau, 1859.
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Photo credit: © Science History Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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