Claim profile
1700–1799

The 18th century

Whose working lives fell in the 18th century. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 18th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇺🇸 United States🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇮🇹 Italy🇪🇸 Spain🇸🇪 Sweden🇯🇵 Japan🇹🇷 Turkey🇨🇭 Switzerland
FieldAllPoliticiansHistorical FiguresWritersScientistsMusiciansArtistsAcademicsArchitectsDoctorsReligious Figures
  1. 1Francisco GoyaFrancisco Goya1746–1828 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artists18 decades
  2. 2HokusaiHokusai1760–1849 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists14 decades
  3. 3Jacques-Louis DavidJacques-Louis David1748–1825 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists7 decades
  4. 4Élisabeth Vigée Le BrunÉlisabeth Vigée Le Brun1755–1842 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists1 decades
  5. 5Antonio CanovaAntonio Canova1757–1822 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  6. 6CanalettoCanaletto1697–1768 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists22 decades
  7. 7Giovanni Battista TiepoloGiovanni Battista Tiepolo1696–1770 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists21 decades
  8. 8Jean-Honoré FragonardJean-Honoré Fragonard1732–1806 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists6 decades
  9. 9Jean-Antoine WatteauJean-Antoine Watteau1684–1721 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists18 decades
  10. 10William HogarthWilliam Hogarth1697–1764 · Artists22 decades
  11. 11Philippe II, Duke of OrléansPhilippe II, Duke of Orléans1674–1723 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists22 decades
  12. 12François BoucherFrançois Boucher1703–1770 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists21 decades
  13. 13Angelica KauffmanAngelica Kauffman1741–1807 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists18 decades
  14. 14Thomas GainsboroughThomas Gainsborough1727–1788 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists18 decades
  15. 15Marie TussaudMarie Tussaud1761–1850 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  16. 16Louis-Alexandre BerthierLouis-Alexandre Berthier1753–1815 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists1 decades
  17. 17Giovanni Battista PiranesiGiovanni Battista Piranesi1720–1778 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists9 decades
  18. 18Jean-Baptiste-Siméon ChardinJean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin1699–1779 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  19. 19Henry FuseliHenry Fuseli1741–1825 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists10 decades
  20. 20Joshua ReynoldsJoshua Reynolds1723–1792 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists22 decades
  21. 21Bernardo BellottoBernardo Bellotto1722–1780 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists13 decades
  22. 22Jean-Baptiste GreuzeJean-Baptiste Greuze1725–1805 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists4 decades
  23. 23Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of SwedenUlrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden1688–1741 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists0 decades
  24. 24Vivant DenonVivant Denon1747–1825 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists22 decades
  25. 25Kitagawa UtamaroKitagawa Utamaro1753–1806 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  26. 26Anton Raphael MengsAnton Raphael Mengs1728–1779 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists18 decades
  27. 27Joseph VernetJoseph Vernet1714–1789 · Artists22 decades
  28. 28Rosalba CarrieraRosalba Carriera1675–1757 · Artists22 decades
  29. 29Maurice Quentin de La TourMaurice Quentin de La Tour1704–1788 · 🇫🇷 France · Artistsnot measured—
  30. 30Giovanni Paolo PaniniGiovanni Paolo Panini1691–1765 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists7 decades
  31. 31Adélaïde Labille-GuiardAdélaïde Labille-Guiard1749–1803 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists1 decades
  32. 32Francesco GuardiFrancesco Guardi1712–1793 · Artists21 decades
  33. 33Joseph Wright of DerbyJoseph Wright of Derby1734–1797 · Artists3 decades
  34. 34Jean-Antoine HoudonJean-Antoine Houdon1741–1828 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  35. 35Hubert RobertHubert Robert1733–1808 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists18 decades
  36. 36Jean-Marc NattierJean-Marc Nattier1685–1766 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists2 decades
  37. 37Jean-Étienne LiotardJean-Étienne Liotard1702–1789 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists0 decades
  38. 38Pompeo BatoniPompeo Batoni1708–1787 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists20 decades
  39. 39Étienne Maurice FalconetÉtienne Maurice Falconet1716–1791 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  40. 40George StubbsGeorge Stubbs1724–1806 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists13 decades
  41. 41John Singleton CopleyJohn Singleton Copley1738–1815 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists21 decades
  42. 42Alexander RoslinAlexander Roslin1718–1793 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists0 decades
  43. 43James GillrayJames Gillray1756–1815 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists7 decades
  44. 44GCGiuseppe Castiglione1688–1766 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Artists17 decades
  45. 45Thomas RowlandsonThomas Rowlandson1757–1827 · Artists15 decades
  46. 46Benjamin WestBenjamin West1738–1820 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  47. 47Gilbert StuartGilbert Stuart1755–1828 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  48. 48Suzuki HarunobuSuzuki Harunobu1724–1770 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  49. 49John TrumbullJohn Trumbull1756–1843 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists22 decades
  50. 50AleijadinhoAleijadinho1730–1814 · 🇧🇷 Brazil · Artists8 decades
  51. 51William KentWilliam Kent1684–1748 · Artists22 decades
  52. 52Joseph DucreuxJoseph Ducreux1735–1802 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  53. 53George RomneyGeorge Romney1734–1802 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists20 decades
  54. 54Charles Willson PealeCharles Willson Peale1741–1827 · 🇺🇸 United States · Artists13 decades
  55. 55SharakuSharakudied 1801 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists8 decades
  56. 56Marcello BacciarelliMarcello Bacciarelli1731–1818 · Artists3 decades
  57. 57Louis-Léopold BoillyLouis-Léopold Boilly1761–1845 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists2 decades
  58. 58Toriyama SekienToriyama Sekien1712–1788 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  59. 59Johann Gottfried SchadowJohann Gottfried Schadow1764–1850 · Artists9 decades
  60. 60Dmitry LevitzkyDmitry Levitzky1735–1822 · Artists4 decades
  61. 61Louis-Michel van LooLouis-Michel van Loo1707–1771 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  62. 62Johann ZoffanyJohann Zoffany1733–1810 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists0 decades
  63. 63Guillaume Thomas François RaynalGuillaume Thomas François Raynal1713–1796 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  64. 64John AndréJohn André1750–1780 · Artists4 decades
  65. 65Vladimir BorovikovskyVladimir Borovikovsky1757–1825 · Artists4 decades
  66. 66Johann Heinrich Wilhelm TischbeinJohann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein1751–1829 · Artists7 decades
  67. 67Joseph-Siffred DuplessisJoseph-Siffred Duplessis1725–1802 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  68. 68Pietro LonghiPietro Longhi1701–1785 · Artists22 decades
  69. 69Pierre-Paul Prud'honPierre-Paul Prud'hon1758–1823 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  70. 70Jacopo AmigoniJacopo Amigoni1682–1752 · Artists10 decades
  71. 71Anton JanšaAnton Janša1734–1773 · Artists1 decades
  72. 72Françoise de GraffignyFrançoise de Graffigny1695–1758 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists2 decades
  73. 73Henry RaeburnHenry Raeburn1756–1823 · Artists14 decades
  74. 74Allan RamsayAllan Ramsay1713–1784 · Artists22 decades
  75. 75Charles André van LooCharles André van Loo1705–1765 · 🇫🇷 France · Artistsnot measured—
  76. 76Jean-Baptiste PigalleJean-Baptiste Pigalle1714–1785 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  77. 77Kim Hong-doKim Hong-do1745–1806 · Artists0 decades
  78. 78Nicolai AbildgaardNicolai Abildgaard1743–1809 · Artists0 decades
  79. 79Franz Xaver MesserschmidtFranz Xaver Messerschmidt1736–1783 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artists5 decades
  80. 80Mary DelanyMary Delany1700–1788 · Artists0 decades
  81. 81John Flaxman Jr.John Flaxman Jr.1755–1826 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artistsnot measured—
  82. 82Daniel Nikolaus ChodowieckiDaniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki1726–1801 · Artists18 decades
  83. 83Antonio CorradiniAntonio Corradini1688–1752 · Artists0 decades
  84. 84Giambattista BodoniGiambattista Bodoni1740–1813 · Artists22 decades
  85. 85Claudine Guérin de TencinClaudine Guérin de Tencin1682–1749 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists0 decades
  86. 86Jean-Baptiste OudryJean-Baptiste Oudry1686–1755 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists6 decades
  87. 87Anton GraffAnton Graff1736–1813 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Artists17 decades
  88. 88Giovanni Domenico TiepoloGiovanni Domenico Tiepolo1727–1804 · Artists16 decades
  89. 89Marie Thérèse Rodet GeoffrinMarie Thérèse Rodet Geoffrin1699–1777 · 🇫🇷 France · Artistsnot measured—
  90. 90Magnus StenbockMagnus Stenbock1665–1717 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Artists0 decades
  91. 91Maria Louisa Catherine Cecilia CoswayMaria Louisa Catherine Cecilia Cosway1760–1838 · Artistsnot measured—
  92. 92Joseph-Marie VienJoseph-Marie Vien1716–1809 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists3 decades
  93. 93Marguerite GérardMarguerite Gérard1761–1837 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists9 decades
  94. 94Maruyama ŌkyoMaruyama Ōkyo1733–1795 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  95. 95William BeecheyWilliam Beechey1753–1839 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Artists13 decades
  96. 96María Teresa de Silva, 13th Duchess of AlbaMaría Teresa de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba1762–1802 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Artistsnot measured—
  97. 97Karoline Luise of Hesse-DarmstadtKaroline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt1723–1783 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Artistsnot measured—
  98. 98Jean-Baptiste RegnaultJean-Baptiste Regnault1754–1829 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists1 decades
  99. 99Louise Bénédicte de BourbonLouise Bénédicte de Bourbon1676–1753 · 🇫🇷 France · Artists2 decades
  100. 100SengaiSengai1750–1837 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists1 decades

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.