Gekroonde buste van Carolus Linnaeus 1751 - 1816

This engraving by Reinier Vinkeles shows a crowned bust of Carolus Linnaeus. It reflects a moment in the Netherlands when scientific achievement was becoming a source of national pride. Produced in the late 18th century, the image uses classical allegory to celebrate the Swedish botanist Linnaeus, whose system of classifying plants and animals revolutionized the natural sciences. We see a female figure, perhaps representing Science or Fame, crowning his portrait with a laurel wreath. The bust is presented as a monument, while the surrounding plants allude to Linnaeus's field of study. Engravings like these circulated widely, shaping public perceptions of scientific figures. As an art historian, I'm interested in how this image contributed to the emerging cult of scientific celebrity. By studying the print culture of the time, we can better understand how science gained prestige and authority in Dutch society.