Comte Choiseul-Gouffier

Aristocratic diplomat Comte Choiseul-Gouffier was honored in France for his contributions to the French language and culture and to the archaeology and exploration of Greece and Asia Minor. His description of his travels and explorations in Greece, Voyage pittoresque de la Grece (the first volume appeared in 1782, the second volume followed much later in two parts, in 1809 and 1822), was a huge success, not only among researchers, but also in wider circles of interested readers, and virtually founded a literary fashion. His archaeological work included excavations in Olympia. Some 79 objects from his art collection, which was broken up at the time of the French Revolution, now form an important part of the collection of Greek antiquities at the Louvre.