Jacques Lacan, a prominent French psychoanalyst, died on September 9, 1981, at the age of 80. He was the founder of the school of psychoanalysis known as Lacanianism. Lacan was born in Paris on April 13, 1901. He studied medicine at the University of Paris, and later gained an interest in psychoanalysis. He went on to become an important figure in the French psychoanalytic movement, and held positions in a number of psychoanalytic societies. Lacan developed a method of psychoanalytic analysis which he termed "Lacanianism". This approach emphasized the importance of language in understanding the psychological development of individuals. His theories had a profound impact on philosophical and psychoanalytic discourse, and are still widely referred to today. Lacan's influential works include the seminars he gave between 1953 and 1981, as well as his papers, such as "Of the Unconscious", "Behavior and Ideology" and "The Subversion of the Subject". His books include Écrits and The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psychoanalysis. Lacan is survived by his wife, Sylvia Maklès Lacan, and their three children, Caroline, Thibaut and Judith.