Plate 19, from "Histoire naturelle des perroquets" 1801 - 1806

This is Plate 19 from "Histoire naturelle des perroquets", made by François Levaillant, a French naturalist, in the late 18th or early 19th century. During this period, natural history illustrations weren't just about documenting species, they reflected the broader project of European exploration and colonization. Levaillant, who traveled extensively, aimed to catalog the world's biodiversity. But his work was also deeply embedded in the power structures of his time. Consider how the parrot, an exotic creature to European eyes, is meticulously rendered here. The very act of naming and classifying these birds was an assertion of control over the natural world, linking scientific inquiry with colonial expansion. To truly understand this print, we need to look at the social and institutional context in which it was produced, examining not only the artist's intentions but also the networks of patronage, scientific societies, and colonial enterprises that shaped his work.