225 years contributing to the arts

Certain Polytechniciens follow a more atypical career path. Several of them have opted for careers in the arts. In music, X alumni include pianist Claude Hallfer, conductor Emmanuel Calef, and also Pierre Schaeffer, the father of electronic music. In literature, writer and literary critic Ernest Seillière, writer Marcel Prévost and novelist Isabelle Sorente are all alumni. Painter Hervé Loilier is also a former student of Polytechnique, as is the architect of Roissy Airport, Paul Andreu. In the cinema industry, École Polytechnique has two alumni: Antonin Baudry and Paul Vecchiali, both film directors. Finally, Alain Seban, President of the Centre Georges Pompidou from 2007 to 2015, is an X graduate.