11460 Robert Benard (1734-1777) – View of Fishing Equipment and Boats – Engraving (1778)

"Peches aux Hamecons, Hains &c." This engraving features three horizontal sections detailing eighteenth-century fishing technology and practices. The top section illustrates complex longline systems with multiple hooks suspended from floats and sinkers. The middle section displays various handheld tools including gaffs, harpoons, spears, and multi-pronged forks used for maritime hunting. The bottom section depicts a single-masted sailing vessel with a large square sail navigating through moderate waves alongside smaller support boats. This work was published in Paris as part of the Recueil de Planches for the Encyclopedie of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert. It serves as a technical record of the specialized equipment and nautical architecture required for large-scale commercial fishing operations during the Enlightenment.