ROBERT BÉNARD, French, born 1734; 
after BOURGEOIS, French, 18th century
Sculpture: Workshop for Plaster Casting, 
Tools and Methods from the Encyclopédie, 
ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, 
des arts et des métiers, par une Société de Gens 
de lettres, Paris, 1751-1772 
engraving and etching 
Anonymous Gift, 88.54

Plates from the Encyclopédie commonly employ the format of a divided image. In this print, the vignette shows an interior view of the workshop of a plaster sculptor.  The five individuals scattered throughout the workshop each perform a separate task in the process of the creation of a plaster sculpture.  The lower portion of the print shows tools used for sculpting in plaster, such as a pestle (Fig. 3) and mortar cup (Fig. 2).Through this layout, a single plate can address various aspects of one topic within the same image.  In this print, for example, the separation of the space enabled the artist to show the process of casting in plaster, as well as the tools used.

Brooke Williams