The Central School of Arts and Manufactures was founded in 1829 as a private scshool by the businesman Alphonse Lavallée. Its aim was to train general engineers for the emerging industry, at a time when higher institutions tended to train state executives. It became public in 1857 when Lavallée bequeathed it to the French state to ensure its sustainability. It was then temporarily renamed the Imperial School of Arts and Manufactures. The school lasted until 2015 when it merged with another school to become CentraleSupélec.