Francois Laurent (1742-1809), Marquis d'Arlandes, French ballonist. D'Arlandes was one of two (with Jean Francis Pilatre de Rozier) who made the first manned balloon flight. In a Montgolfier balloon, they took off from the Chateau de la Muette, Paris, France, on 21 November 1783. They landed 9 kilometres away after 25 minutes and reaching a height of around 1000 metres. D'Arlandes was an infantry officer in the French royal guard. Artwork from 'Aerostation - Aviation' (1911) by French civil engineer Max de Nansouty (1854-1913), part of the 'Les merveilles de la science' series of 1867-1891 by Louis Figuier.