Drie gryphaea uit Portugal before 1901

This is an old photograph of three Gryphaea from Portugal, probably made to illustrate a scientific book. Look at the way the objects are arranged, one on top of the other, in a careful and precise way. I bet the photographer carefully adjusted the lighting to highlight their texture. What do you think they were thinking when they clicked the shutter? Were they trying to capture every detail, or were they thinking about the beauty of these forms? It reminds me of scientific drawings, where the goal is to document and categorize the natural world. But it also reminds me of still life paintings, where everyday objects are transformed into something beautiful and timeless. Artists and scientists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other's creativity, don’t you think?