Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) was a prominent French writer and poet, known for his famous fables starring animals. Although his father desired a clerical career for him, La Fontaine chose literature, studying law and publishing his first writing in 1654. After a bohemian life in Paris and various protections, including that of Nicolas Fouquet, he faced financial difficulties due to his loyalty to Fouquet. Later, under the protection of influential women, he continued writing and frequented literary circles. Elected a member of the Académie Française in 1683, he turned to religion after the death of his last protector. He died in 1695 and was buried in Père-Lachaise. La Fontaine, a precursor of the Enlightenment, left a literary legacy that includes his famous fables, inspired by Aesop and other classics, reflecting an Epicurean and skeptical view of life.
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