Über den Autor La Fontaine, Jean de
La Fontaine (1621-95) followed a career as a poet after early training for the law and the Church. He came under the wing of Louis XIV's Finance Minister, Nicolas Fouquet, and later enjoyed the patronage of the Duchess of Orléans and Mme de La Sablière. His Fables were widely admired, and he was already regarded in his lifetime as one of the greatest poets of his age.