born Oct. 5, 1713, Langres, France
died July 31, 1784, Paris
French man of letters and philosopher.
Educated by Jesuits, Diderot later received degrees from the University of Paris. From 1745 to 1772 he served as chief editor of the 35-volume Encyclopédie , a principal work of the Enlightenment . He composed such influential works as Letter on the Deaf and Dumb (1751), which studies the function of language, and Thoughts on the Interpretation of Nature (1754), acclaimed as the method of philosophical inquiry of the 18th century. The first great art critic, he was especially admired posthumously for his Essay on Painting (written 1765). His novels include The Nun (written 1760) and Rameau's Nephew (finished 1774); he also wrote plays and theoretical works on drama. See also Jean Le Rond d' Alembert .
Denis Diderot, oil painting by Louis-Michel van Loo, 1767; in the Louvre, Paris.
Giraudon/Art Resource, New York