François Bienvenu and Science popularization in the Enlightenment: experimental demonstrations, leisure and publics of science

Abstract

This paper analyses the experimental demonstrations performed by natural philosophers during the Enlightenment. The article follows the activities of a very popular one, François Bienvenu, to study various aspects involving science popularization: spaces, publics, and material culture. His practical demonstrations show the wide range of uses related to experimental demonstrations, in which entertainment and leisure were combined with science popularization and training. In addition, the paper shows the role of these natural philosophers in the creation, development and popularization of physics and chemistry novelties, as well as the circulation of both experimental practices and scientific instruments.