A gold beater's workshop for Diderot's Encyclopedie
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1911-28-113
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Created in 1763 by French artist Louis-Jacques Goussier, this drawing depicts a gold beater’s workshop for Denis Diderot’s groundbreaking Encyclopédie. Goussier, who contributed numerous technical illustrations to the ambitious project, captured the intricate processes of transforming gold into delicate leaves used for gilding. Though the exact medium remains undocumented, its classification as a drawing highlights the careful draftsmanship required to translate complex artisanal techniques into clear visual instruction. Diderot’s Encyclopédie, published between 1751 and 1772, sought to democ...