Henry Houssaye

Born in Paris on February 24, 1848, Henry Houssaye was a French historian, art critic, and literary critic. He became especially admired for his writing on the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, subjects he approached with both careful research and a strong sense of narrative.

Houssaye also wrote poetry and worked as a critic before building his reputation as a historian. His historical books on Napoleon and the 1814 campaign were widely read, and his literary standing was confirmed when he was elected to the Académie française.

He died in Paris on September 23, 1911. Today he is remembered for making French history feel lively and human rather than distant or dry.