The Book That Changed Europe: Picart and Bernard's __Religious Ceremonies of the World__

Two French Protestant refugees in eighteenth-century Amsterdam gave the world an extraordinary work that intrigued and outraged readers across Europe. In this captivating account, Lynn Hunt, Margaret C. Jacob, and Wijnand Mijnhardt take us to the vibrant Dutch Republic and its flourishing book trade to explore the work that sowed the radical idea that religions could be considered on equal terms. Famed engraver Bernard Picart and author and publisher Jean Frederic Bernard produced The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of All the Peoples of the World, which appeared in the first of seven folio volumes in 1723. They put religion in comparative perspective, offering images and analysis of Jews, Catholics, Muslims, the peoples of the Orient and the Americas, Protestants, deists, freemasons, and assorted sects. Despite condemnation by the Catholic Church, the work was a resounding success. For the next century it was copied or adapted, but without the context of its original radicalism and its debt to clandestine literature, English deists, and the philosophy of Spinoza. Ceremonies and Customs prepared the ground for religious toleration amid seemingly unending religious conflict, and demonstrated the impact of the global on Western consciousness. In this beautifully illustrated book, Hunt, Jacob, and Mijnhardt cast new light on the profound insight found in one book as it shaped the development of a modern, secular understanding of religion. Two French Protestant refugees in eighteenth-century Amsterdam gavethe world an extraordinary work that intrigued and outraged readersacross Europe. In this captivating account, LynnHunt, Margaret C. Jacob, andWijnand Mijnhardt take us to the vibrant DutchRepublic and its flourishing book trade to explore the work thatsowed the radical idea that religions could be considered on equalterms. Famed engraver Bernard Picart and author and publisher JeanFrederic Bernard produced The Religious Ceremonies and Customsof All the Peoples of the World, which appeared in the firstof seven folio volumes in 1723. They put religion in comparativeperspective, offering images and analysis of Jews, Catholics,Muslims, the peoples of the Orient and the Americas, Protestants,deists, freemasons, and assorted sects. Despite condemnation by theCatholic Church, the work was a resounding success. For the nextcentury it was copied or adapted, but without the context of itsoriginal radicalism and its debt to clandestine literature, Englishdeists, and the philosophy of Spinoza. Ceremonies andCustoms prepared the ground for religious toleration amidseemingly unending religious conflict, and demonstrated the impactof the global on Western consciousness. In this beautifullyillustrated book, Hunt, Jacob, and Mijnhardt cast new light on theprofound insight found in one book as it shaped the development ofa modern, secular understanding of religion

Two French Protestant refugees in eighteenth-century Amsterdam gave the world an extraordinary work that intrigued and outraged readers across Europe. In this captivating account, Lynn Hunt, Margaret C. Jacob, and Wijnand Mijnhardt take us to the vibrant Dutch Republic and its flourishing book trade to explore the work that sowed the radical idea that religions could be considered on equal terms.Famed engraver Bernard Picart and author and publisher Jean Frederic Bernard produced The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of All the Peoples of the World, which appeared in the first of seven folio volumes in 1723. They put religion in comparative perspective, offering images and analysis of Jews, Catholics, Muslims, the peoples of the Orient and the Americas, Protestants, deists, freemasons, and assorted sects. Despite condemnation by the Catholic Church, the work was a resounding success. For the next century it was copied or adapted, but without the context of its original radicalism and its debt to clandestine literature, English deists, and the philosophy of Spinoza. Ceremonies and Customs prepared the ground for religious toleration amid seemingly unending religious conflict, and demonstrated the impact of the global on Western consciousness. In this beautifully illustrated book, Hunt, Jacob, and Mijnhardt cast new light on the profound insight found in one book as it shaped the development of a modern, secular understanding of religion.

"Two French Protestant refugees in eighteenth-century Amsterdam gave the world an extraordinary work that intrigued and outraged readers across Europe. In this captivating account, Lynn Hunt, Margaret Jacob, and Wijnand Mijnhardt take us to the vibrant Dutch Republic and its flourishing book trade to explore the work that sowed the radical idea that religions could be considered on equal terms. Famed engraver Bernard Picart and author and publisher Jean Frederic Bernard produced The Religious Ceremonies and Customs of All the Peoples of the World, which appeared in the first of seven folio volumes in 1723. They put religion in comparative perspective, offering images and analysis of Jews, Catholics, Muslims, the peoples of the Orient and the Americas, Protestants, deists, freemasons, and assorted sects. Despite condemnation by the Catholic Church, the work was a resounding success. For the next century it was copied or adapted, but without the context of its original radicalism and its debt to clandestine literature, English deists, and the philosophy of Spinoza. Ceremonies and Customs prepared the ground for religious toleration amid seemingly unending religious conflict, and demonstrated the impact of the global on Western consciousness. In this beautifully illustrated book, Hunt, Jacob, and Mijnhardt cast new light on the profound insight found in one book as it shaped the development of a modern, secular understanding of religion."--Cover Two French Protestant Refugees In Eighteenth-century Amsterdam Gave The World An Extraordinary Work That Intrigued And Outraged Readers Across Europe. In This Captivating Account, Lynn Hunt, Margaret Jacob, And Wijnand Mijnhardt Take Us To The Vibrant Dutch Republic And Its Flourishing Book Trade To Explore The Work That Sowed The Radical Idea That Religions Could Be Considered On Equal Terms.--jacket. A Marketplace For Religious Ideas -- Bernard Picart: Religious And Artistic Journeys -- Why Holland? -- Jean Frederic Bernard: The Tumultuous Life Of A Refugee Publisher -- A Writer's Mental Universe -- Picart's Visual Politics -- Familiarizing Judaism -- Cutting Roman Catholicism Down To Size -- Idolatry: West And East -- Rehabilitating Islam -- Dissent, Deism, And Atheism. Lynn Hunt, Margaret C. Jacob, Wijnand Mijnhardt. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.