The European Enlightenment Chapter 17

The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, saw the spread of ideas brimming with intellectual concepts focusing on Philosophy, the Arts, Literature, Science, and Religion. Many of these ideas challenged the status quo of the time, forwarding beliefs such as tolerance, equality, and rational thought.

In challenging the established rites and traditions, notable people published books and pamphlets furthering their ideas:

Mary Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights of Woman challenged the idea that women were the weaker sex, becoming one of the earliest, if not the earliest, known feminist.

John Locke put forth the Tabula Rasa theory, stating that man is born a blank slate and becomes who they are through a combination of Nature Vs. Nurture.

Voltaire, a French philosopher, wrote Candid, challenging anything and everything about the world around him, but focusing specifically on government.

The Instructor Commentary, “Enlightenment Thought and Inquiry,” focuses on the essential elements of the Age of Reason, or as it is better known, The Enlightenment. This secondary source identifies key shifts in the political spectrum, woman’s rights, the arts, philosophy, and religion. There were benefits and unintended consequences to the advances in these fields, but they were essential to the major shift in world powers occurring across the globe at the time.

Technology and Enlightenment: The Mechanical Arts in Diderot’s Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia encompassing multiple disciplines and areas of study in an attempt to cover all aspects of life.

“Technology and Enlightenment: The Mechanical Arts in Diderot’s Encyclopedia” is a primary source that covers all walks of life in an attempt to share the knowledge in a condensed format. The encyclopedia was prepared by Denis Diderot and published in the later 1700’s, at a time when anything that challenged the rule of the government in even the slightest way was considered seditious. This attempt to compile the available knowledge of the time is significant to history and the whole of Western Civilization in that it approaches the ideas within from a view of free speech and religion.

“Of Elephants & Roses: Encounters with French Natural History, 1790-1830” was a museum exhibit at the American Philosophical Society. A secondary source showcasing the height of the Elightenment in both Paris, France and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America, the exhibit displayed how the natural world and its rare and exotic inhabitants effected the world of man. The study of paleontology and biology flourished during the Enlightenment as the natural world provided a reasonable answer to the problems brewing across Europe in the face of new discoveries.

“Enter the Dragon: The Beginnings of Chinoiserie 1680-1710” is a slideshow based secondary source presenting European attempts to duplicate and recreate eastern art styles. This particular art style extended from pottery, to painting, even to housing designs and is significant due to its wide spread appeal and acceptance. The late 17th century saw Asian art styles burst forth from the East and take root across Europe and even reach the United States. If not for the Enlightenment’s defiance of the status quo and acceptance of other cultures, this art style may have been quashed in an attempt by the old power to retain their control.

“Japanning” is the English attempt to recreate Asian lacquering styles on furniture and buildings.

The term “antik” referred to the character of Chinoiserie items, that adapted styles and designs from across the East, sometimes combining the cultures found there.

Sources:

Darty, Amy. “Enlightenment Thought and Inquiry.” Accessed February 5, 2017. https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1251924/files/60245017/download?download_frd=1

Lemonnier, Anicet-Charles-Gabriel. “A READING OF VOLTAIRE'S TRAGEDY "L'ORPHELINE DE LA CHINE" IN THE SALON OF MADAME GEOFFRIN.” Sothebys. January 31, 2013. Accessed February 5, 2017. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/old-master-paintings-n08952/lot.93.html

Kneller, Godfrey. “John Locke.” The Hermitage, St.Petersburg. 1697. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/explore/buildings/locations/room/B10_F2_H298

Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Mary Wolloncroft Legacy.” About Education. July 31, 2016. Accessed February 5, 2016. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/wollstonecraft/a/wollstonecraft-legacy.htm

McKim, Sean. “Voltaire.” Find A Grave. January 1, 2001. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?GRid=1519&page=gr

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Technology and Enlightenment: The Mechanical Arts in Diderot’s Encyclopedia.” July 2010. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://libraries.mit.edu/exhibits/diderots-encyclopedia-exhibit-preview/

Halber, Deborah. “Great Dome lights up the night.” MIT News. June 12, 2007. Accessed February 5, 2017. http://news.mit.edu/2007/domelit-0612

American Philosophical Society Museum. “Of Elephants & Roses: Encounters with French Natural History, 1790-1830.” December 31, 2011. Accessed February 6, 2015. http://www.apsmuseum.org/elephants-and-roses/

Chip Stone. “Enter the Dragon: The Beginnings of Chinoiserie 1680-1710.” Accessed February 6, 2017. http://www.chipstone.org/html/SpecialProjects/Dragon/01dragon.html

Credits:

Darty, Amy. “Enlightenment Thought and Inquiry.” Accessed February 5, 2017. https://webcourses.ucf.edu/courses/1251924/files/60245017/download?download_frd=1 Lemonnier, Anicet-Charles-Gabriel. “A READING OF VOLTAIRE'S TRAGEDY "L'ORPHELINE DE LA CHINE" IN THE SALON OF MADAME GEOFFRIN.” Sothebys. January 31, 2013. Accessed February 5, 2017. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/old-master-paintings-n08952/lot.93.html Kneller, Godfrey. “John Locke.” The Hermitage, St.Petersburg. 1697. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/explore/buildings/locations/room/B10_F2_H298 Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Mary Wolloncroft Legacy.” About Education. July 31, 2016. Accessed February 5, 2016. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/wollstonecraft/a/wollstonecraft-legacy.htm McKim, Sean. “Voltaire.” Find A Grave. January 1, 2001. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?GRid=1519&page=gr Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Technology and Enlightenment: The Mechanical Arts in Diderot’s Encyclopedia.” July 2010. Accessed February 5, 2017. https://libraries.mit.edu/exhibits/diderots-encyclopedia-exhibit-preview/ Halber, Deborah. “Great Dome lights up the night.” MIT News. June 12, 2007. Accessed February 5, 2017. http://news.mit.edu/2007/domelit-0612 American Philosophical Society Museum. “Of Elephants & Roses: Encounters with French Natural History, 1790-1830.” December 31, 2011. Accessed February 6, 2015. http://www.apsmuseum.org/elephants-and-roses/ Chip Stone. “Enter the Dragon: The Beginnings of Chinoiserie 1680-1710.” Accessed February 6, 2017. http://www.chipstone.org/html/SpecialProjects/Dragon/01dragon.html

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