Essai sur la peinture

work by Diderot

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June 26, 2026

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Essai sur la peinture (Essay on Painting) is a work by Denis Diderot, a prominent figure of the Enlightenment. Written in 1765 and published posthumously in 1796, this essay is considered a significant contribution to art criticism.1

In his Essai sur la peinture, Diderot explored principles of art and criticism, moving beyond purely theoretical evaluations. He emphasized the importance of both intellectual understanding and emotional response when engaging with a work of art. Diderot's approach involved detailed descriptions of artworks, allowing readers to experience them as if present. He believed that true art should stimulate both the mind and the emotions, a perspective that has influenced art criticism since its publication. The essay was particularly admired by later figures like Goethe and Charles Baudelaire.21

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Denis Diderot
Novels, dialogues, and plays of Denis Diderot
…won him posthumous fame; his Essai sur la peinture (written 1765, published 1796; “Essay on Painting”), especially, was admired by Goethe and later by the 19th-century poet and critic Charles Baudelaire.
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…won him posthumous fame; his Essai sur la peinture (written 1765, published 1796; “Essay on Painting”), especially, was admired by Goethe and later by the 19th-century poet and critic Charles Baudelaire.
Read More