Estienne family

The Estienne family was a prominent French dynasty of printers and booksellers active from the late 15th to the late 16th century. The family's printing firm was founded in Paris by Henri I Estienne around 1502. His son, Robert I Estienne, took over the business in 1526 and became known for his significant contributions to lexicography, including a groundbreaking Latin dictionary. Robert also published the first complete Latin Bible and was appointed the king's printer for Hebrew and Latin works.12

Due to religious tensions with theologians at the Sorbonne, Robert Estienne relocated his press to Geneva in 1551. His son, Henri II Estienne, continued the family's scholarly printing tradition. Educated in classical literature, Henri II published important editions of ancient Greek texts and compiled a monumental Greek dictionary, Thesaurus graecae linguae. He also championed the French language, publishing a defense of it against Italian influences. Despite facing challenges and censorship, the Estienne family left a lasting legacy in the fields of printing, classical scholarship, and lexicography.23