author
Pierre Villey
1879–1933
A blind French scholar who turned determination into remarkable literary work, he became one of the important early modern readers of Montaigne. His life joined academic rigor with a deep commitment to education and support for blind people.
1 Audiobook
Montaigne et François Bacon
by Pierre Villey
About the author
Born in Caen in 1879, Pierre Villey was a French university teacher and specialist in sixteenth-century French literature. He studied at the École normale supérieure and went on to teach at the Faculty of Letters in Caen, building a reputation for his work on Michel de Montaigne.
Villey lost his sight as a small child, but that did not stop him from pursuing an academic career. Alongside his teaching and scholarship, he served as secretary-general of the Association Valentin Haüy, linking his intellectual life with practical work on behalf of blind people.
He is especially remembered for his editions and studies of Montaigne, which helped shape modern understanding of the Essais. He died in 1933, leaving behind both important literary scholarship and an inspiring example of perseverance.