Bastard Letters of the Alphabet, from Encyclopédie
1760
Medium
Engraving on cream laid paper
Dimensions
40 × 26 cm (15 3/4 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
148215
Art Historical Context
Step into the Enlightenment era with *Bastard Letters of the*, a meticulous engraving by Aubin from Denis Diderot's groundbreaking *Encyclopédie*, around 1760. This plate, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, exemplifies the18th-century drive to catalog and share practical knowledge. The *Encyclopédie*—a monumental 28-volume work—aimed to democratize learning, blending philosophy, science, and the mechanical arts through over 2,500 detailed illustrations like this one. Measuring 40 × 26 cm on cream laid paper, the engraving showcases "bastard letters" (lett...