Sellier-Carossier, pl. VIII from "Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire Raisonné des Sciences, des Arts et des Métiers"
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. George A. Kubler
Accession Number
1949-152-17
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This exquisite print, *Sellier-Carossier, pl. VIII*, comes from Denis Diderot's monumental *Encyclopédie ou Dnaire Raisonné des, des Arts et destiers*, published between 1751 and 1772. Diderot, a leading French philosopher and writer (1713–1784), spearheaded this Enlightenment masterpiece as its chief editor, compiling knowledge across disciplines to enlighten and empower the public. Plate VIII, dated 1771, illustrates intricate trade of the *sellier-carossier*—a skilled artisan combining saddlery and carriage-body making—showcasing the precision of 18th-century French craftsmanship. As a det...