Brown Bird with a Butterfly 

"Brown Bird with a Butterfly" is an engraving with hand coloring, created by George Edwards in the 18th century. Edwards was an English naturalist and ornithologist. During the Enlightenment, there was a huge interest in science, exploration and documentation of the natural world. This piece reflects those themes and the period’s colonial context. The artist meticulously depicts the bird's features, capturing its texture, plumage, and pose with scientific precision. The butterfly, seemingly floating, adds a delicate touch to the composition. Edwards contributed to the scientific understanding of avian species but his images, while appearing objective, reflect his cultural background. How might the seemingly innocuous act of documenting nature uphold certain power structures and world views? The brown bird and butterfly represent a specific vision of nature, one that's viewed, studied, and classified through a Western lens. What does it mean to see nature through such a specific perspective?