Considered the first encyclopedia, Estienne's work was first published in 1553. Estienne came from a famous family of printers but studied medicine and ancient languages before becoming a printer himself. He became the regent of the faculty of medicine of Paris and practiced medicine until 1550. At that point he took over running the family printing business in time to oversee its bankruptcy. He was imprisoned in the Chatelet prison on the wishes of his creditors and died there in 1564.
