12412 Robert Benard (1734–1777) – Marine Fishing: Cast Nets, Fixed Nets, and Coastal Techniques – Hand-coloured engraving (c. 1770–1780)

This work was sourced from the Encyclopédie, ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert. Published in Paris, this monumental Enlightenment project sought to provide a comprehensive visual record of human knowledge, particularly in the mechanical and natural arts. Robert Benard directed the engraving department for the project, ensuring that each plate was executed with the technical clarity and precision necessary for scientific and historical documentation.

Robert Benard was a French engraver who specialized in technical and scientific illustration during the eighteenth century. He served as the primary engraver for the Académie Royale des Sciences and the director of the engraving department for Diderot's Encyclopédie. His body of work is characterized by a precise and methodical linear style that was ideally suited for documenting complex mechanical trades and natural history specimens. Benard is credited with overseeing the production of over two thousand plates that contributed to the global dissemination of French Enlightenment knowledge.

Artist or Maker: Robert Benard.

Dimensions: Approximately 46 cm x 30 cm.

Medium: Hand-coloured engraving.

Date: (Late 18th Century).

Condition Report:

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