Negentien vogels

This is "Negentien Vogels", or "Nineteen Birds," an etching made by Henri le Roy sometime in the first half of the 17th century. The image is a bestiary, but we shouldn't take it as a straightforward effort to document the natural world. Rather, its cultural references and historical associations make it a fascinating document of early modern science. Le Roy was working in the Netherlands, a center of both artistic and scientific innovation. In that context, prints like this one served a vital function. They were collected in albums and used by artists, craftsmen, and scientists. They were exchanged and sold internationally and were a key means by which artistic styles and scientific knowledge circulated. In studying images like this, historians consult not only prints themselves but also the inventories of collectors and the publications of scientists. By combining these resources, we come to understand the social conditions that shape artistic production and the power of images in shaping our knowledge.