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Editorial
Évariste Galois is one of the best-known mathematicians—and also one of the least understood.
Galois as a character in fiction | Tangente
Several novels and fictionalized biographies have been written about Évariste Galois. Even if we consider only works published in French, the list is already substantial.
Writings on Galois: biographies and key sources | Tangente
For readers interested in Évariste Galois's life and history, here is a short, non-exhaustive list of publications and references in French.
“An iconic figure!”
Historian of science Caroline Ehrhardt shares her expert perspective on the life of Évariste Galois with Tangente. She casts a keen eye over the legacy—both mathematical and symbolic—of this young prodigy, who became a true mathematical “icon” long after his death.
Galois and the Restoration: historical context | Tangente
Évariste Galois's family was deeply committed to the gains of the Revolution. During the deeply reactionary Restoration, those values would bring tragedy upon the Galois family and leave Évariste with a lifelong scar.
Academic references on Galois for historians | Tangente
The Revue d’histoire des mathématiques—a leading journal for historians, published by the Société mathématique de France—devoted a special issue to Évariste Galois in 2011 (volume 17, no. 2).
An essential issue on Galois and his era | Tangente
Présence d’Évariste Galois 1811–1832 (APMEP, 1982) is a special issue devoted entirely to the young algebraist, marking the 150th anniversary of his death.
Galois: Dupuy's official biography | Tangente
The earliest comprehensive biography of Évariste Galois—and the one researchers recognize as "official"—was written by Paul Dupuy (1856–1948), a former student of the École normale supérieure who had passed the agrégation examination in history.
René Taton’s historical studies of Galois | Tangente
René Taton (1915–2004) was a historian of science. A graduate of the École normale supérieure and holder of the agrégation in mathematics, he was best known for his research on Gaspard Monge (1746–1818) and Girard Desargues (1591–1661). He also took a keen interest in Galois, amassing a substantial body of documentation.
Galois's last letter reconstructed | Tangente
In 2011, to celebrate the bicentenary of Évariste Galois's birth, a special issue of Tangente Sup (issue 60) was published with an ambitious guiding principle: to describe Galois theory not in today's terms, but using the knowledge available at the time!
Galois, an artistic inspiration: opera and maths | Tangente
Évariste Galois's eventful life has inspired many artists. He appears in several plays, a film and even... an opera!
The school system in Galois's time | Tangente
In Évariste Galois's day, the school system was still somewhat different from ours. For example, students could choose to skip certain grades depending on their intended course of study.