The Encyclopedie was published under the direction of Diderot from 1751 onward with thousands of articles written by the most prominent philosophers and scientists of the time. These great minds collaborated in the goal of assembling and disseminating the fruits of accumulated knowledge and learning. This massive reference work for the arts and sciences, served to propagate Enlightened ideas. Read a full description of this work and Diderot at Wikipedia.com.

This matching set of plates depict various types of mining and steps within the mining process, such as shaft mining, quarrying, river mining, and transporting ore by wagon and boat. Engraved by Benard.

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Condition: B+

Very light soiling and toning with a few small spots of foxing. Plate 1 has a couple of printer's creases at right.