Water Fowl c. 19th century

Editor: This is Alexander Anderson's "Water Fowl." It's a detailed engraving depicting birds in a natural setting. It strikes me as very serene and pastoral. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The piece reflects a prevailing 19th-century interest in natural history and the picturesque. Anderson, considered the father of American wood engraving, created imagery that served to educate and shape public perceptions of the natural world. Note how it is presented, what choices are made about what is considered worth depicting? Editor: So, it's more than just a pretty picture; it’s also making a statement? Curator: Exactly. It's participating in a broader cultural movement of observation and classification, but also of constructing an idea of an "American" landscape. It influences how we understand our relationship with nature, then and now. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Now I see how art like this helped shape our view of the environment.