Copperplate engraving and etching on laid paper. This engraving originates from the plate volume titled: 'Receuil de Planches sur les sciences, les arts libereaux, et les arts mechaniques avec leur explication. Troisieme Livraison', published 1765. This old antique engraved copperplate print originates from: 'The Encyclop�die ou Dictionnaire raisonn� des sciences, des arts et des m�tiers, par une Soci�t� de Gens de lettres.' which was published under the direction of Diderot and d'Alembert, with 17 volumes of text and 11 volumes of plates between 1751 and 1772. It contained 72,000 articles written by more than 140 contributors. This encyclopdia was a massive reference work for the arts and sciences, as well as a means to propagate the ideas of the French Enlightment. The impact of this encyclopedia was enormous. Anonymous engraving. Author: Denis Diderot (1713-1784) was a French philosopher, art critic and writer. Jean le Rond d'Alembert (1717-1783) was a French mathematician, mechanician, physicist and philosopher. These plates are engraved by J.A.Defehrt and Bonaventure/Benoit-Louis Prevost after J.R Lucotte.