Origins & Early Life

Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos (French: [pjɛʁ ɑ̃bʁwaz fʁɑ̃swa ʃɔdɛʁlo də laklo]; 18 October 1741 – 5 September 1803) was a French novelist, official, Freemason and army general, best known for writing the epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) (1782). A unique case in French literature, he was for a long time considered to be as scandalous a writer as the Marquis de Sade or Nicolas Restif de la Bretonne. He was a military officer with no illusions about human relations, and an amateur writer; his initial plan was to "write a work which departed from the ordinary, which made a noise, and which would remain on earth after his death"; from this point of view he mostly attained his goals with the fame of his masterwork Les Liaisons dangereuses. It is one of the great examples of novelistic literature of the 18th century, that explores the amorous intrigues of the aristocracy.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

It has inspired many critical and analytic commentaries, plays and films. Born in Amiens into a bourgeois family, in 1761 Laclos began studies at the School of Artillery of La Fère, ancestor of the École Polytechnique. As a young lieutenant, he briefly served in...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Angelica Kauffman — Contemporary (Born in 1741) (1741): Swiss history painter renowned for her successful careers in London and Rome.
• Antonio Vivaldi — Contemporary (Died in 1741) (1741): Master of the Baroque concerto, Vivaldi shaped modern violin and programmatic music.
• Henry Fuseli — Contemporary (Born in 1741) (1741): Swiss painter and writer known for supernatural themes, influential in British art.
• Franz Xaver Süssmayr — Contemporary (Died in 1803) (1803): Austrian composer and conductor, best known for completing Mozart's Requiem.
• Hector Berlioz — Contemporary (Born in 1803) (1803): Master of French Romanticism, known for dramatic orchestral color and innovation.
• Johann Gottfried Herder — Contemporary (Died in 1803) (1803): Pioneering German philosopher, poet, and critic who championed the 'Volksgeist'.
• Canaletto — Shared historical date (10-18 · Born) (1697): Master Vedutista: Celebrated painter of Venetian and Roman cityscapes.
• Charles Babbage — Shared historical date (10-18 · Died) (1871): Pioneering polymath credited with originating the concept of the digital programmable computer.
• Abu Hanifa — Shared historical date (09-05 · Born) (699): Founder of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence, a pivotal scholar of early Islam.
• Auguste Comte — Shared historical date (09-05 · Died) (1857): Pioneer of sociology and founder of positivism, shaping modern social science.
• 1741 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1741
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• 1803 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1803
• September 5 (09-05) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 5