Georges Perrot

Born on November 12, 1832, Georges Perrot was a French archaeologist, classical scholar, and historian of art. He studied at the École Normale Supérieure and went on to build a major academic career in Paris, becoming known for his work on the ancient world and for his clear, wide-ranging approach to scholarship.

Perrot wrote extensively on Greek art, archaeology, and ancient civilizations, and he is often associated with the monumental history of art in antiquity that he produced with Charles Chipiez. Their books explored the art and architecture of places including Egypt, Chaldea, Assyria, Phoenicia, Persia, Phrygia, Lydia, Caria, and Greece, helping shape how many readers in the late 19th century understood the ancient Mediterranean and Near East.

He also held important academic leadership roles, including at the Sorbonne and the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. Perrot died in Paris on June 30, 1914, leaving behind a body of work that stood at the meeting point of archaeology, art history, and classical studies.