LOUIS DE JAUCOURT

BIRTH AND DEATH

Birth: 9/16/1704     Death: 2/3/1779

OCCUPATION

scientist

BIOGRAPHY SUMMARY

Chevalier Louis de Jaucourt was a French scholar and the most prolific contributor to the Encyclopédie. He wrote about 17,000 articles on subjects including physiology, chemistry, botany, pathology, and political history, or about 25% of the entire encyclopaedia, all done voluntarily. In the generations after the Encyclopédie's, mainly due to his aristocratic background, his legacy was largely overshadowed by the more bohemian Denis Diderot, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and others, but by the mid-20th century more scholarly attention was being paid to him.

NOTABLE WORK

WHY THEY MATTER

Louis de Jaucourt was intellectually unique for his extraordinary productivity and breadth of knowledge as the most prolific contributor to the Encyclopédie. His vast array of articles on diverse subjects showcased his deep understanding of topics ranging from physiology to political history. Despite being initially overshadowed by more well-known figures of his time, his legacy gained recognition in the mid-20th century with increasing scholarly appreciation for his significant contributions to the intellectual landscape of his era.

FAMOUS QUOTE

WIKIPEDIA PAGE

Wikipedia Page