How did Samuel Johnson’s ideas about biography emphasize everyday details?

Samuel Johnson’s approach to the biography genre emphasized the importance of everyday details as a means to capture the true essence of a subject. He argued that the primary business of a biographer is to display the minute details of daily life, as these specific elements are essential for re-creating a living character rather than merely providing a formal account of public achievements.1

Johnson believed that a subject did not need to be of exalted fame to be worthy of a biography, as the value of the work lies in its ability to reveal the individual's humanity. By focusing on these intimate, often overlooked aspects of a person's existence, the biographer could provide a more authentic and vivid portrait. This philosophy significantly influenced the development of the genre, moving it away from purely idealized or generalized accounts toward a more realistic and textured representation of personality.1