DUPONT, Pierre. Paris 3.12.1908 — Bangkok 16.10.1955 (Auboyer: 31.12.1908–18.10.1955). French Archaeologist of South-East Asia (especially Cambodia). Professor in Paris. Studies of Indology, South-East Asian studies, art and archaeology in Paris under Lévi, Foucher, Picard and Stern, at É.P.H.É., Institut d’éthnologie and École du Louvre. Worked in Musée Guimet, in French Institutes in Amsterdam (1933-35) and Berlin (1935-36). In 1936-1950 at É.F.E.O. in Indochine, from 1941 in various offices in Phnom Penh (in 1945 five months interned by Japanese), 1948-50 Curator in Saigon Museum. From 1950 Professor of Indian and South-East Asian art and archaeology at Sorbonne, also taught at É.P.H.É. Dr.-ès-lettres 1953. In 1955 travelled in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Burma, where he laid out a plan for archaeological research of Burma. Died suddenly of a heart attack in the house of his friend A. B. Griswold. Married with Monique.
Dupont was a meticulous and skilled art historian. With systematic work he greatly improved chronology. He collected an enormous archive of photographs.
Publications: A number of articles and reviews on South-East Asian art in Revue des Arts Asiatiques, BEFEO, Bull. de la Soc. des Études Indochinoises, Art. As., etc., in reviews often also dealt with books about India.
– “Voyageurs européens aux Indes du XIIe au XIVe siècle”, Bull. Assoc. des Amis de l’Orient 13, 1932, 27-42.
– La version mône du Nāradajātaka. 281 p. P.E.F.E.O. 36. Saigon & P. 1954 (diss. II).
– La statuaire préangkorienne. 240 p. 46 pl. Art. As. Suppl. 15. Ascona 1955.
– Diss. 1953 publ. as L’archéologie mône de Dvāravatī. 331 p. 152 pl. P.E.F.E.O. 41. P. 1959.
Sources: *J. Auboyer, Arts as. 1955, 309-312 & 1959, 59-69; G. Cœdès, BEFEO 49, 1959, 637-613 with photo and bibliography by L. Bezacier, 643-648; A.B. Griswold, Art. As. 18, 1955, 178-182 with bibliography; Chercheurs d’Asie 130-132; JOIB 5, 1955-56, 291 (with some mistakes).
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