Origins & Early Life

Ambroise Paul Toussaint Jules Valéry (French: [pɔl valeʁi]; 30 October 1871 – 20 July 1945) was a French poet, essayist, and philosopher. In addition to his poetry and fiction (drama and dialogues), his interests included aphorisms on art, history, letters, music, and current events. Valéry was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 12 different years. Valéry was born in Sète, a town on the Mediterranean coast of the Hérault, but he was raised in Montpellier, a larger urban center close by.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After a traditional Roman Catholic education, he studied law at university and then resided in Paris for most of the remainder of his life, where he was, for a while, part of the circle of Stéphane Mallarmé. In 1900, he married Jeannine Gobillard, a friend of Stéphane Mallarmé's family, a niece of the painter Berthe Morisot. The wedding was a double ceremony in which the bride's cousin and Berthe Morisot's daughter, Julie Manet, married the painter Ernest Rouart. Valéry and Gobillard had three children: Claude, Agathe and François. Valéry served as a juror with Florence Meyer Blumenthal in awarding the Prix Blumenthal, a grant given between 1919 and 1954 to young French painters...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abanindranath Tagore — Contemporary (Born in 1871) (1871): Pioneering figure of the Bengal School, modernizing Indian art against Western influence.
• Anna Atkins — Contemporary (Died in 1871) (1871): Pioneering botanist and photographer, credited with the first illustrated book using photos.
• Augustus De Morgan — Contemporary (Died in 1871) (1871): Pioneering logician known for De Morgan's laws and mathematical induction.
• Alan Mulally — Contemporary (Born in 1945) (1945): Aerospace executive credited with revitalizing Boeing and saving Ford Motor Company.
• Anatoly Fomenko — Contemporary (Born in 1945) (1945): Topologist, Mathematician, and proponent of the New Chronology theory.
• Angus Deaton — Contemporary (Born in 1945) (1945): Influential economist specializing in poverty, inequality, and consumption analysis.
• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi — Shared historical date (10-30 · Born) (1966): Jordanian jihadist militant known for orchestrating violence in Iraq (1966–2006)
• Angelica Kauffman — Shared historical date (10-30 · Born) (1741): Swiss history painter renowned for her successful careers in London and Rome.
• Alberto Santos-Dumont — Shared historical date (07-20 · Born) (1873): Brazilian pioneer of aviation, instrumental in developing both airships and fixed-wing aircraft.
• Albrecht von Graefe (ophthalmologist) — Shared historical date (07-20 · Died) (1870): Pioneering German ophthalmologist, instrumental in establishing modern eye care.
• 1871 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1871
• October 30 (10-30) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 30
• 1945 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1945
• July 20 (07-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 20