Eik c. 1820 - 1833

J. Bernard made this image of an oak tree, or 'Eik', using engraving techniques. The scientific revolution saw a proliferation of attempts to classify the natural world in a systematic way. This image might have been created as part of such an endeavor. In the 18th and 19th centuries, botany became a popular science with wealthy Europeans and Americans, and the establishment of botanical gardens and museums created a market for botanical illustration. The image presents a highly detailed and accurate depiction of the tree, which would have served the need to identify and record it. The image seems to be part of a series of illustrations, marked 'Pl. VIII' on the upper right corner of the plate. Archival research of the printmaker and engraver J. Bernard might reveal its original context and purpose, and shed light on the scientific institutions that shaped its production.