The Body of the Artisan: Art and Experience in the Scientific Revolution

by Pamela H. Smith

Since the time of Aristotle, the making of knowledge and the making of objects have generally been considered separate enterprises. Yet during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, the two became linked through a "new" philosophy known as science. In The Body of the Artisan , Pamela H. Smith demonstrates how much early modern science owed to an unlikely source-artists and artisans.

From goldsmiths to locksmiths and from carpenters to painters, artists and artisans were much sought after by the new scientists for their intimate, hands-on knowledge of natural materials and the ability to manipulate them. Drawing on a fascinating array of new evidence from northern Europe including artisans' objects and their writings, Smith shows how artisans saw all knowledge as rooted in matter and nature. With nearly two hundred images, The Body of the Artisan provides astonishingly vivid examples of this Renaissance synergy among art, craft, and science, and recovers a forgotten episode of the Scientific Revolution-an episode that forever altered the way we see the natural world.

Genres: History, History Of Science, Art History, Science, Art, European History, Alchemy

367 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Paul Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book explores the interaction between the fine arts and early science; Smith does a wonderful job linking philosophy, artistic inspiration, and the materials used in the Renaissance and early modern periods. Beyond that, it has taken a special place in my large collection of non-fiction history books; one of a dozen or so that I will periodically re-read for the pure enjoyment of it.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book beyond measure, and I am considering writing my first letter to a living author to thank them for their contribution to my life. This is a scholarly work, but far from inaccessible to the lay person. I have added a shelf to accommodate it-art history, in which I am far better read than my Goodreads shelves might indicate. With that acknowledged, this book explores the intersection of alchemy and art, and makes a strong case for exploring the history of science from a more inclusive view. Traditionally the history of science has been heroic in its narrative, concentrating on those who have contributed to paradigm shifts, like Newton and Copernicus. Smith explores a different perspective, literally. Art history is usually an Italy-centric approach, with much weight given to the development of perspective. She repeats an interesting take on that-that concepts of space as described by mathematics changed the way people comprehended space, but instead focuses on the hyper-realism of the Northern European artists whose concern was the exploration of light. Previous to reading this I had not contextualized Albrecht Durer in history as in the same cultural shift as Paracelsus, but Smith makes the connection clear in that they both studied nature first hand with religious motivations. Nor did I know that the making of vermillion pigment so closely parallels the processes described in alchemical materials as the manufacture of the philosophers stone. The book is too rich for quick digestion in this brief review, and indeed my head is still whirling with a new understanding-the mark of a truly successful reframe in comprehension. One more note on the title-the book demonstrates the connection between embodied learning, the understanding gained through experience and the creation of identity as an individual, a central theme in the Renaissance.

[Joseph Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the most part. Yeah, it’s academic and reads like a dissertation. But I love how Smith unpacks the historic tension between artisans (think blue collar worker types) and intellectuals (academics and theorists). The tension goes back centuries. Really enjoyed reading about the rise of merchant artisans like Paracelsus and Leiden University, where practical arts and manual labor were considered equally important as intellectual and theoretical education.

[Alexis Kaelin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is the contribution of the lowly artisan to the adoption of the new philosophy of science? A lot it turns out. Smith beautifully illustrates (both in pictures and words) certain aspects of the new philosophy that owe much to the physical labor and tactile knowledge of the workshop. Great read.

[Laura van Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk. Beargumenteert dat bepaalde methodes uit de kunsten/ambachten ten grondslag lagen aan wetenschap in de vroegmoderne tijd. Voornamelijk zeer precieze observatie van de natuur. Soort 'strijd' tussen wie en wat autoriteit/voorrang heeft in kennis-claims. Theory/practice, filosofie/experiment, divine/earth(natuur), etc.
Gelezen voor research seminar dus sommige stukjes overgeslagen.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Pamela Smith writes elegantly and clearly. Her examination of the intersection between art and science in the early modern period is compelling. This book has prompted me to ask some historical questions of my own, such as how did Italian artisans contribute to the Scientific Revolution? I love the visuals as well, a welcome feature in any history book.

[Andee Nero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smith's book is the kind of work that really inspires me. She beautifully examines art and artisanry as a form of vernacular science. By looking at ordinary people instead of the "Great Men of Science," she is getting closer to the actual knowledge-gathering of the early modern period.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really beautiful book (and amazingly inexpensive for that) containing a very insightful analysis of the relationship between artisanry and science in early modern Europe.