The Round Crested Duck (Mergus cucullatus) Possibly 1731 - 1743

Editor: This watercolor print, "The Round Crested Duck," possibly from between 1731 and 1743 by Mark Catesby, strikes me with its almost scientific precision, but the duck also looks quite comical! What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: I find Catesby’s work fascinating because it speaks volumes about the material conditions of scientific exploration in the 18th century. The very act of creating this print - the paper, the inks, the labor involved in both observing the duck and then reproducing it - positions it within a network of global trade and colonial resource extraction. Consider the materials themselves. Where did they come from? Who produced them, and under what circumstances? Editor: That’s a really interesting way to think about it, looking at the actual materials! I was so focused on the image itself. So, like, even the watercolors, who was grinding the pigments? Curator: Exactly! And how does the pursuit of "naturalism" – evident in the meticulous rendering of the duck's plumage – serve a purpose? Is it purely scientific documentation, or does it also reflect a desire to categorize and control the natural world? Think about the labor needed to produce these images versus the "high art" paintings from the same era. Who was valued, and why? Editor: So, by considering the materiality and production, we can challenge these art-historical categories? Curator: Precisely. It allows us to question the hierarchies of art and science, nature and culture, and understand how images like this were embedded within a complex web of social, economic, and political relations. Editor: I see! I learned a lot, and thinking about the production process gives me a completely new way to appreciate and critique these images. Curator: And that broadened perspective helps us see the world through the eyes of those involved in creating it and distributing its products, giving a deeper understanding.