Hippolyte Buffenoir

Born in Vougeot, Côte-d'Or, on October 16, 1847, and died in Paris on July 3, 1928, he was a French professor of philosophy, historian, writer, and poet.

Library and reference records show a wide-ranging career: he published poetry and fiction early on, then became especially noted for historical and iconographic studies connected with Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the French Revolution, including work on Rousseau's circle and on portraits of Robespierre.

That mix of literary energy and careful documentation makes him an appealing figure for listeners who enjoy older French nonfiction with a human touch as well as readers curious about the broader literary culture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.