Joined 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
148216
Art Historical Context
Step into the Enlightenment with *Joined Letters of the Alphabet*, a captivating engraving by Aubin from the landmark *Encyclopédie*, by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert. Published around 1760, this plate the era's passion for knowledge dissemination through visual precision. The *Encyclop* (1751–1772) was a revolutionary 28-volume compendium that challenged traditional authority, blending science, arts, and philosophy, with over 2,500 intricate plates like this one illustrating everything from mechanics to the decorative arts. Aubin's engraving on cream laid paper (40 × 26 cm) showc...