Amphibieen of tweeslachtige dieren 1850

This is a page printed by J. Schuitemaker, with a series of vignettes depicting snakes. Given the title “Amphibians or Hermaphrodite Animals,” it was clearly intended for educational purposes, or at least, to instill a sense of wonder. The printmaking process itself is key to understanding this image. Look closely and you'll see that it is most likely a wood engraving, where the artist would have used a fine tool to cut away at a block of end-grain wood. The remaining raised lines would then be inked and transferred to paper. This technique allowed for relatively fine detail, and was also suited to mass production. Such prints were common in the 19th century, a time of expanding literacy and a growing appetite for accessible information. But they also participated in a broader colonial project, circulating images of exotic animals in far-off lands. The presence of local people in several of the images only underscores this connection. Seen in this light, the print is not just a curiosity, but a window into a world of power dynamics and knowledge dissemination.