In the Land of Marvels: Science, Fabricated Realities, and Industrial Espionage in the Age of the Grand Tour

During his journey through Italy in 1749, the French physicist Jean-Antoine Nollet published a controversial account of his philosophical battle with his Italian counterparts, discrediting them as misguided devotees of the marvelous. Paola Bertucci's book "In the Land of Marvels" reveals the mysteries of Nollet's journey, uncovering a subterranean world of secretive and ambitious intelligence gathering masked as scientific inquiry. Nollet's journey was actually an undercover mission commissioned by the French state to discover the secrets of Italian silk manufacture and possibly supplant its international success. The event that sparked the medical controversy was a complete fabrication. Bertucci contrasts published accounts of the event with private documents and discusses how eighteenth-century scientists published fictional events and results to bolster their careers, leading to long-lasting misrepresentations of scientific practice and enduring stereotypes.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 17 October 2023
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

In 1749, the renowned French physicist Jean-Antoine Nollet embarked on a journey through Italy to resolve an international dispute regarding the medical applications of electricity. Upon his return after nine months, he published a highly influential account that discredited his Italian counterparts as misguided enthusiasts of the marvelous. Paola Bertucci's captivating book, In the Land of Marvels, unveils the mysteries of Nollet's expedition, uncovering a clandestine realm of secretive and ambitious intelligence gathering masquerading as scientific inquiry. The advent of electricity marked a significant milestone not only in the history of physical experimentation but also in the cultivation of popular scientific interest. Nollet's journey was initially motivated by the need to investigate and subsequently report on claims of the use of electrified medicated tubes by their Italian inventor Gianfrancesco Pivati. However, it was actually an undercover mission commissioned by the French state to uncover the secrets of Italian silk manufacture and potentially surpass its international success. The event that triggered the medical controversy, the unusual cure of a bishop, was a complete fabrication.

Bertucci skillfully contrasts published accounts of the event with private documents and delves into how eighteenth-century scientists fabricated fictional events and results to enhance their careers, ultimately leading to enduring misrepresentations of scientific practice and the perpetuation of stereotypes. In the Land of Marvels sheds light on the constellation of historical actors, including representatives of the French state, Italian inventors, and scientists, who played pivotal roles in shaping the narrative surrounding electricity and its medical applications during the eighteenth century. This insightful work provides valuable insights into the complexities of scientific inquiry, the role of power and politics in shaping scientific knowledge, and the enduring impact of historical narratives on our understanding of the past.

Weight: 816g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421447100