Charles Cournault, an unparalleled draughtsman, joined the Commission de Topographie des Gaules in December 1866 and became one of its most active correspondents. Thanks to his skills as a draughtsman, in the 1870s, he was sent by the Ministry of Education and the Beaux-Arts to produce drawings of objects discovered during archaeological excavations. He also played an active role in the collection of inscriptions led by General Creuly, sending him several series of estampages.