Among the terms used to describe magicians are illusionist, sometimes conjurer, but also prestidigitator. The latter term, formed from the Latin words presti (agility) and digitus (fingers), appeared in the 19th century under the impetus of an artist named Jules de Rovere.

Very little information has come down to us about this man, who is nevertheless mentioned throughout a chapter in Robert-Houdin’s books! Thibault Ternon set himself the goal of shedding light on this strange character, who began his life performing magic tricks and then gradually changed direction to present physics experiments. At the end of his life, Jules de Rovere became completely immersed in esotericism, claiming to have powers to heal the sick.

This book of over 80 pages traces the life of this complex personality, illustrated with documents published for the very first time thanks to years of research in public and private archives.

Discover the eventful life of Jules de Rovere, the first conjurer, through this book.

In this book, you will learn more about Jules de Rovere’s childhood, from his beginnings under the name Mr. Jules to the invention of the term “conjurer.” After a chapter devoted to the magical experiments he performed, you will discover his family circle and read about how Jules de Rovere went from being a magician to a magnetizer.

This book details the history of this legendary artist, with several appendices and numerous archival documents published for the very first time.