161.

This man in the photograph is considered one of the most ancient chemists on the world. He and his wife Perenelle were devout Roman Catholics. They were wealthy and were philanthropists. Their wealth was chiefly due to an invention made by the man. He developed this secret from a book named The Book of Abraham the Mage. But, his name mainly shot to fame due to a literary work in 1997. Who is he and what was his invention?