Vignes, Louis, 1831-1896

Louis Vignes (1831-1896) was a French naval officer who, in 1864 as a young lieutenant, accompanied Honoré Paul Joseph d'Albert, duc de Luynes, on his expedition to the Dead Sea region, having been trained as a photographer by Charles Negre prior to their departure.

The expedition included Vignes, geologist Louis Lartet, naturalist Dr. Combe, and the duke himself, who accompanied the expedition as far as Petra. Vignes's photographs were reproduced as photogravures by Charles Negre in the duke's account of the expedition, Voyage d'exploration à la mer Morte, à Petra, et sur la rive gauche du Jourdain, published in 1875 eight years after his death.

After the expedition Vignes continued his dual careers as photographer and naval officer, eventually achieving the rank of vice admiral and becoming the Inspecteur général de la Marine.