Table of Contents; The Shadow of Enlightenment: Optical and Political Transparency in France, 1789-1848; 1. A Revolution in Representation; 2. Le Rouge et le Vert: The Colors of Opposition in Restoration France; 3. Astronomy: The Light of the Heavens; 4. A Vital Matter: Light and Life; 5. Light Paints Itself: The Conditions of Photographic Representation; 6. Illuminate All Eyes: Colonial Markets and the Problem of Freedom; Conclusion; Index
Summary
This work examines the intersection of science and politics in the work of Francois Arago and Jean-Baptiste Biot, the principle architects of the optical revolution of early 19th-century France. Their disagreement over the optical accessibility of the world played out across a wide range of French culture