There is no direct evidence of the exhibition of Clara in Lyon. An anecdote by Dutens published in 1806 reported an encounter with an (unnamed) Dutchman at Lyon who owned a rhinoceros (source 4951). The proposed itinerary from Paris to Rome included a stop in Lyon (source 4952). The Marquis d’Argenson heard a rumour that the rhinoceros had died in Lyon from an attack of lost love (source 4953; source 4954). With the certainty of the exhibition in Paris, as well as the departure from Marseilles, a stop in Lyon in the course of 1749 is highly possible.
Lyon is 200 km south of Dijon. Lyon is 150 km west of Geneva.
Literature
- Rookmaaker 1998: 65
Source 4951. Dutens, Mémoires
* Louis Dutens (1730–1812)
Dutens, L. 1806. Memoirs of a traveller, now in retirement. Interspersed with historical, literary and political anecdotes relative to many of the principal personages of the present age. London, Rich. Phillips. vol. 2
Dutens, L. 1806. Memoires d’un voyageur qui se repose; contenant des anacdotes historiques, politiques et litteraires, relatives a plusieurs des principaux personnages du siecle. Paris, Bossange, Masson et Basson: vol. 1.
Bowlby; Dutens, L. 1808. Rhinoceros in Lyons. Calcutta Gazette Thursday 18 February 1808: 7.
Text from Dutens, Memoirs
[1806a, p. 192] Of all the dependants upon their wits that I have ever seen or heard of, a Dutch traveller mentioned to me by one of my friends, merits the palm. Mr. Bowlby told me, that when he was travelling in France, he met at Lyons a Dutch gentleman of some rank, but who was not rich. He generally dined with other foreigners at an ordinary : and spoke with earnestness of a wonderful animal, a rhinoceros, which was in that city, always pressing the newcomers to go and see this strange creature, whose singular qualities he extolled in such a manner, that he made some visit it more than once. Mr. Bowlby having met him in several cities, and seeing him always equally zealous on this subject, was desirous to find [192] out his motive. He discovered at last that the Dutch gentleman had found the means of obtaining a living by buying a rhinoceros, which he sent on before him, with a man whom he could trust, to all the great towns where he wished to stop ; and introducing himself among foreigners into genteel company, he soon gave to the rhinoceros a celebrity which defrayed the expences of his own travels.
Source 4952. Gazette d’Amsterdam, 28 February 1749
Douwe Mout 1749. Gazette d’Amsterdam – Vendredi 28 Fevrier 1749 – Friday 28 February 1749
Original text (French)
[p.4] Il est arrivé depuis peu à Paris un Capitaine de Vaisseau Hollandois, qui a amené de Bengale un Animal trèes curieux, nommé Rhinoceros, . . . le Maitre de cet animal avertit qu’il partira dans peu pour Rome, où il espere d’arriver avant le 20. Decembre de cette année 1749, et qu’il le fera voir sur la route: Il s’arrêtera à Dijon, à Genève, à Lyon, à Avignon, à Aix et à Marseille.
English translation
On the way from Paris to Rome, the master of the rhinoceros will stop at Dijon, at Genève, at Lyon, at Avignon, at Aix et at Marseille.
Source 4953. Argenson, Journal
* René-Louis de Voyer, Marquis d’Argenson (1694–1757)
Argenson, R.L. de V. de P., Marquis d’ 1863. Journal et memoires. In: Rathery, E.J.B. Journal et memoires du Marquis d’Argenson, publiés pour la premiere fois, d’apres les manuscrits autographes de la Bibliotheque du Louvre. Paris, J. Renouard: vol. 5, pp. i-iv, 1–510
Original text (French)
[vol. 5, p. 485]
30 May 1749
On a eu nouvelle que le rhinocéros est mort enragé à Lyon, qu’il a mordu cinq à six personnes qui sont mortes de même. Sa rage venait de chaleur d’amour; on n’a pu trouver de mâle proportionné à cette monstrueuse bête.
English translation
It has been reported that the rhinoceros died of rage in Lyon, that it bit five or six people who also died. Its rage came from the heat of love; no male could be found that was proportionate to this monstrous beast.
Source 4954. Loisel, Menageries
Loisel, G. 1912. Histoire des menageries de l’antiquite a nos jours. Paris, Octave Doin et fils and Henri Laurens. vol. 1, pp. 1–319; vol. 2, pp. 1–392; vol. 3, pp. 1–563.
Loisel, 1912, Menageries, vol. 2, p.279
De Paris, l’animal prit le chemin du midi. Il séjourna quelque temps à Lyon ou l’on fit courir e bruit qu’il etait mort de “chaleur d’amour”; il passa ensuite en Italie et, de là encore, vint a Paris le bruit de sa mort: “Le gros rhinoceros que nous avons vy l’hiver dernier, dit d’Argenson, à la foire Saint-Germain, vient de perir par les memes causes (mauvais temps), avec son maitre et plusieurs passagers allant de Rome a Naples par mer, et tout l’argent qu’il avait gagne a son proprietaire est tombe au fond de la mer.” Il est probable que c’estait là encore une fausse nouvelle, car le rhinoceros que nous avons vu au carnaval de Venise de 1751 parait bien etre la meme bete.
Loisel, p.50 refers to broadsheet with 4 languages “Rhinocerot”. Note: the sheet is 56 x 41 cm. A copy bought by a resident of Reims when the animal passed through the town, now in the collection of M. J. Cottreau in Paris, where Loisel saw it. Le premier proprietaire de l’estampe avait écrit au dos quelques renseignements qui nous ont servi.
* collection Cottreau, sale 1910, has no prints
