author
Élie Faure
1873–1937
A doctor by training and an art historian by passion, he wrote about painting, sculpture, and civilization with unusual energy and range. Best known for his sweeping History of Art, he helped bring big cultural ideas to a wide readership.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, France, in 1873, Élie Faure trained as a physician before becoming known as an art historian and essayist. That medical background shaped the way he looked at culture: his writing often treats art as something living, tied to the movement of societies rather than isolated masterpieces.
He is best remembered for History of Art, a major multi-volume work published in the early 20th century. In it, he approached art across long stretches of time and across civilizations, aiming to show patterns, rhythm, and human energy in creative work. His books helped make art history feel vivid and connected to everyday intellectual life, not just to museums and specialists.
Faure died in Paris in 1937. He remains an important figure for readers interested in art criticism that is broad, ambitious, and deeply engaged with history.