Design: Facial Anatomy from Encyclopédie

Art Historical Context

Step into the Enlightenment era with *Design: Facial Anatomy fromédie* (1762/77), an etching with engraving by A. J Defehrt. This print hails from Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert’s groundbreaking *Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers*, a 28-volume compendium published between 1751 and 1772 that sought to democratize knowledge across Europe. Amid its vast scope—from philosophy to mechanics—plates like this one illuminated human anatomy, making complex science accessible through art. Crafted on cream laid paper (40 × 26 cm), Defehrt’s work masterfully combines etching’s fluid lines, created by acid on a metal plate, with the sharp precision of engraving. This hybrid technique allowed for intricate details of facial musculature, ideal for medical students and curious minds alike. Such illustrations bridged art and science, advancing anatomical study during a time when dissection was revolutionizing medicine. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Prints and Drawings Department, this piece captures the Enlightenment’s spirit of inquiry and innovation. It reminds us how 18th-century printmaking fueled intellectual progress, turning the human face into a map of biological wonder.

About the Artist

A. J. Defehrt · 1708–1779

A. J. Defehrt (1723–1779) was a French draftsman, painter, and engraver whose career is best defined by his substantial contributions to one of the most ambitious publishing projects of the European Enlightenment: the illustrated plates of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert's Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. This monumental project, which aimed t...