Through the mid-18th-century, large collections of knowledge were relegated to specific areas of study like law, medicine, or religion. However, Denis Diderot's 'Encyclopedie'
changed the public's knowledge base as well as setting a standard for future generations of acquiring knowledge on many different subjects. This was the first encyclopedia to include contributions from many different named writers. It also was the first encyclopedia to describe work-related topics like agriculture, engineering, cooking, and trade.
One of the aspects that made this work so desirable was the incredible, detailed full-page engravings. In fact, the illustrations themselves were so sought-after that they were of published on their own apart from the encyclopedia.
This volume of 'De Planches', or the plates from Diderot's encyclopedia include some of the following engravings:
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Horology
o Mechanics of watch and clock making,… Read More