Details

Name

Cusenier

Occupation

Wine merchant

Description

Cusenier was the owner of the French painting, 'Charity of a Beggar at Ornans', by Gustave Courbet, in Glasgow Museums. In the late 19th century the name 'Cusenier' was synonymous throughout Europe with the production of alcoholic spirits and liqueurs. Originally from a farming and inn-keeping family from Etalans, and having started work in the absinthe distillery at Ornans, in 1858 Eugène Cusenier (born 15 October 1832, Etalans, died 13 April 1894, Paris) founded a modest distillery of his own which soon prospered and became a successful business. Although initially having only modest financial means, Eugène had business flair, a genius for innovation and enormous self-belief which led him to revolutionise the making of liqueurs. However, it was when his younger brother, Elisée (born 26 April 1851, Etalans, died 17 November 1928, Besançon), joined the thriving enterprise that it was transformed into one of the most important international flagships of the French business world.

In 1871 Eugène built a factory in Paris on the boulevard Voltaire to cater to the growing demands for their products among the metropolitan population. The factory produced not only spirits and liqueurs but also syrups, grogs, punch and even eau de Cologne. By 1878 this became the company headquarters and a retail premises. Both brothers believed in looking after their staff, introducing sick pay and paying their workers’ medical bills through the business. During the working day, they also allowed the staff to try the various drinks which were distilled on the premises.

When Eugène died in 1894, Elisée, a financial genius, became the head of the firm, with his other two brothers, Jules (a friend of Courbet) and Valentin, sitting on the company board. Elisée extended the business, building factories in Marseilles and Buenos Aires thus ensuring the company was known as one of the most flourishing French industries of the late 19th century. The company moved with the times, so that when the 'anti alcohol' leagues started to gain momentum in 1896 Elisée invented 'L’Absinthe Oxygénée', in which he replaced the suspect herbs in absinthe with 'soothing' ones. Up until 1905, a hugely successful advertising campaign of various humorous posters extolling the benefits of the special 'healthy' absinthe helped to reassure the gullible.

In 1900 Elisée was chosen by his fellow entrepreneurs to be the president of the International Awards Jury at that year’s Exposition Universelle. Becoming mayor of Etalans, Elisée played an important part in the evolution of new agricultural practices in his local area, most notably in the development and use of chemical fertilisers. He was the President of the 'Société d’Agriculture du Doubs' for over two decades. Enjoying unparalleled success in business, he was also a great philanthropist, being both generous and discreet in his various donations, before his death bequeathing his considerable fortune to charitable organisations in Besançon and to the hospital at Ornans.