The Great Success of a Failed Publication: The Eventful Process Behind Marc-Antoine Laugier’s Essay on Architecture (1753)
No. 15 (2023-12-15)Author(s)
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Fabio Restrepoprofesor
Abstract
No one would doubt that one of the most frequently cited books in the history of modern architecture is the "Essay on Architecture" by Abbe Marc-Antoine Laugier. However, its prestige is not solely attributed to the ideas presented in it. It was the historical circumstances of book production, printing, and commercialization in the mid-18th century, combined with the formation of a literate public opinion, the creation of spaces for debate, and the clash of ideas in squares, cafes, salons, and printed newspapers that would change society. This change would become visible years later in the events of the French Revolution. In this process, anonymous booksellers, publishers, printers, engravers, and book culture merchants played a role.
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