Born: 5 October 1713 · Died: 30 July 1784 · Age at death: 70
How old was Denis Diderot when he died?
Denis Diderot died aged 70. He was born on 5 October 1713 and died on 30 July 1784.
French Enlightenment philosopher who co-founded and edited the Encyclopédie, a landmark attempt to gather all human knowledge
Did you know?To fund his daughter's dowry, he sold his library to Catherine the Great, who then paid him to act as her librarian.
Quick facts
Date of birth5 October 1713
Date of death30 July 1784
Age at death70
NationalityFrench
BirthplaceLangres, France
Occupationphilosopher, novelist, essayist
Editor's Take:
Diderot was the driving force behind one of the boldest publishing projects in history. His Encyclopédie set out to gather all human knowledge and to question authority along the way. It was banned and attacked, yet he kept it going for over twenty years. He also wrote novels, art criticism and philosophy that were far ahead of their time. He embodied the restless curiosity of the Enlightenment.
Key Milestones
1749: Prison – jailed for a philosophical letter
1751: Encyclopédie – first volume
1759: Salons – art criticism begins
1773: Russia – visits Catherine the Great
Denis Diderot (French:; 5 October 1713 – 31 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the Encyclopédie along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a prominent figure during the Age of Enlightenment.
