Twelve different Fish Species 1802 - 1855

Curator: Ah, look at this beautiful plate of aquatic diversity! This is "Twelve Different Fish Species," a watercolor drawing made sometime between 1802 and 1855 by Carl Cristiaan Fuchs. It resides in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My goodness, they’re peculiar! They look almost like fantastical creatures dreamed up for a storybook. So, both charming and a little… menacing. Is it just me, or does that ray have a definite air of disapproval? Curator: Well, remember the context. During this period, scientific illustration often served to both document and interpret the natural world. Think of the age of exploration; artists played a critical role in visualizing newfound species for a European audience, thus mediating perceptions of nature, if you will. Editor: I see your point. There’s a scientific attempt at capturing the specimens accurately, definitely, but there's something playful here as well. Take the coloring—soft, muted, like memories of a real experience. Or that slightly bug-eyed expression on number six there… I can't help but think there’s a touch of artistic license at play! It is nice the way each fish is uniquely positioned as well; they are not just organized for the sake of labeling them with those numbers on the plate, are they? Curator: Exactly! Consider also that institutions like the Rijksmuseum and others displaying pieces like this aimed, in a way, to democratize knowledge. They sought to make discoveries accessible, visually, to broader audiences. But naturally, even these intentions can have limitations, shaped by dominant perspectives… Editor: Which is something someone with my expertise might question. Yes, these images are gorgeous, yes they helped distribute knowledge... but in what form and for whom? Who controlled that knowledge and what narratives were constructed through these images? Curator: Precisely the right questions to keep in mind as you observe these specimens of history and of nature. Editor: Food for thought and food for…fish! Curator: I would agree! I shall carry that image with me, now. Thank you.