«Physics of beauty and harmony»: H. C. Ørsted and the Spanish press in the 19th century

Abstract

In 1820, danish physicist H. C. Ørsted experimentally proved the existence of electromagnetism. This breakthrough was followed by significant scientific and technical progress. The philosophical principles that made Ørsted’s experiment possible have been discussed over the last few decades. This article reviews both the influence of Kant, Schelling and the Naturphilosophen on Ørsted, and his links to the Danish Golden Age. Subsequently, it examines the presence of Ørsted in the Spanish press, and analyses how the treatment of his figure could have advanced the circulation of German philosophy and aesthetics in Spain.