The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is celebrated as one of the 18th century’s most remarkable achievements in natural history and remains an enduring treasure in the field. Unlike most scientists of his time, Amsterdam-based pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665–1736) possessed an unparalleled passion for collecting specimens from across the globe. His extraordinary collection of animals, plants, insects, and marine life earned him international fame and recognition.
In 1731, after decades of gathering and cataloging specimens, Seba embarked on the monumental task of commissioning intricate, often scenic illustrations to document his vast collection. These drawings were compiled into a four-volume catalog, featuring everything from exotic plants and rare shellfish to reptiles, corals, birds, butterflies, and other remarkable creatures—many of which are now extinct. The meticulous attention to detail in both the illustrations and Seba’s arrangement of the catalog has secured this work as a natural history masterpiece.
Taken from a rare hand-colored original, this best-selling collection of The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities includes an informative introduction that places Seba’s work in the larger tradition of natural history collections and the fascination with the natural world that defined the Enlightenment era.
The Authors:
- Irmgard Müsch (b. 1967) studied art history, history, and classical archaeology in Mainz and Berlin. Her PhD focused on Johann Jakob Scheuchzer’s Kupfer-Bibel, a richly illustrated scientific commentary on the Bible from the early 18th century. She has published works on 18th and 20th-century art, scientific illustrations, and Kunstkammer (cabinets of curiosities).
- Jes Rust (b. 1963) studied geology, paleontology, and zoology in Göttingen and Kiel. His thesis explored the evolution of fossil snails living in ancient Greek waters. Rust became a professor of invertebrate paleontology and insect phylogeny at the University of Bonn in 2001.
- Rainer Willmann holds a chair in zoology at Göttingen University, where he is also director of its Zoological Museum. A specialist in phylogenetics and evolution, Willmann conducts extensive research on biodiversity and its historical development.
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