Michel de Marolles (22 July 1600, Genillé - 6 March 1681, Paris), known as the abbé de Marolles, was a French churchman and translator, known for his collection of engravings. He became a monk in 1610 and later was abbot of Villeloin (1626–1674). He was the author of many translations of Latin poets and was part of many salons, notably that of Madeleine de Scudéry. He is best known for having collected 123,000 engravings (bought from him in 1667 by Colbert for Louis XIV for 28,000 livres) - this acquisition is considered the foundation of the cabinet of engravings in the royal library, though it was only constituted as a department in 1720.
Read more about Michel De Marolles: Bibliography
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“What harm cause not those huge draughts or pictures which wanton youth with chalk or coals draw in each passage, wall or stairs of our great houses, whence a cruel contempt of our natural store is bred in them?”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)