Arthur de Gobineau

Joseph Arthur Comte de Gobineau (July 14, 1816 — October 13, 1882) was a French aristocrat, diplomat, novelist, raciologist, & man of letters. In 1849 he became private secretary to Alexis de Tocqueville who was foreign minister of France. Gobineau was the next 30 years a diplomat, during which time his understanding of the role of race in history and culture grew. He was a diplomat in Iran, Athens, Rio de Janeiro and Stockholm. He was effective diplomat and a man of great charm. He has been called the "founder of race realism."