Yves Marie André

Yves Marie André, born May 22, 1675, in Châteaulin, Finistère, and died February 26, 1764, in Caen, Calvados, was a French Jesuit, mathematician, philosopher, and essayist. He is also known by the alias 'le Père André'. André entered the Society of Jesus in 1693. Despite his academic achievements, his adherence to Gallicanism and Jansenism led Church authorities to deem him unsuitable for positions of responsibility. Consequently, he shifted his focus to scientific studies and eventually became a royal professor of mathematics at Caen. His philosophical contributions are primarily recognized through his 1741 work, "Essai sur le Beau" (Essay on Beauty). This treatise on aesthetics gained him considerable fame during his time and maintained its influence well into the 19th century.