Visschen 1850 - 1881

This undated print by Dirk Noothoven van Goor visualizes different kinds of fish for a young audience. The print appeared as part of a series in "Prenten-Magazijn voor de Jeugd", or "Print Magazine for Youth". As the title of the magazine implies, this artwork would have been intended for children. The print presents a range of fish species alongside short descriptions in Dutch. The choice to represent these animals within a scientific context speaks to 19th-century Europe’s fascination with the natural world. It is a product of the rise of natural history as both a scientific discipline and popular pastime, which one can trace through institutions such as museums, zoos, and botanical gardens. While the print certainly seems educational, there are also political issues to consider when thinking about how natural phenomena are depicted to young audiences. What, for example, is the relationship between natural history and colonial expansion? And what values are being instilled when the non-western world is mediated through the lens of European science? These are some of the questions that historians ask when trying to place art in its wider context.