Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers siuvie de celle des toucans et des barbus 1801 - 1806

Editor: This is "Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis et des rolliers siuvie de celle des toucans et des barbus," dating from 1801 to 1806. It's held here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Looking at this book, what strikes me is how its wear and tear tells a story, almost as if the object embodies its own history. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I’m drawn to that material history. Notice the "toned paper," likely not just for aesthetic choice. Consider the labor involved: sourcing, preparing the paper, and the watercolors. The "watercolor illustration," and the “print,” – it is not “high art”, but the labour is intensive! We also have "watercolours," quite common in scientific illustration because they could capture the colors quite well. It raises questions about who had access to these materials, and the systems that supported such productions. Think of the colonial implications when portraying these birds, often originating from faraway places. Editor: So you're saying it's not just about the image of the birds, but the entire production process and what that reveals about society at the time? Curator: Exactly! The paper, the pigments, the printing – these materials were not neutral. Their production and distribution were deeply entangled with trade, colonialism, and evolving scientific understanding. Even the concept of "natural history" itself is tied to systems of classification and control. This wasn’t just observing birds, but ordering the world through a European lens. Who would buy it? To whom the target audience? Was this a commodity or was this a book to read? It raises so many questions. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. Seeing the "Romanticism" tag initially led me to think of a purely aesthetic appreciation of nature, but your perspective really grounds it in the material realities of the time. I learned that the “material” can offer insight! Curator: Precisely! The tangible object provides such a context to analyse.