Lepelaar en drie andere loopvogels 1675 - 1711

Pieter Schenk created this print of a spoonbill and three other birds. The print belongs to a period of exploration and exploitation of the natural world. It reflects how the study of natural history became a widespread cultural phenomenon in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Dutch Golden Age saw an intersection of scientific curiosity and colonial expansion. Prints such as these served as visual records of newly encountered species from distant lands. These images played a crucial role in shaping European understanding, and sometimes misunderstanding, of global biodiversity. Schenk’s engraving offers a glimpse into the era’s fascination with the exotic and the unknown, revealing the complex dynamics between art, science, and the burgeoning age of global exploration. It invites us to reflect on the intertwined histories of natural science, artistic representation, and colonial power.