Publisher's Synopsis
Art of Nature is an astonishing visual record of the exploration of parts of the natural world never previously documented. It features many of the greatest natural history artists of the last 300 years â_" Merian, Bartram, Ehret, the Bauer brothers, Audubon and Gould. Some were seeking fame as scientists or artists, others sought financial gain or at least the prospect of earning a living in what they loved doing. For some it also provided them with the opportunity to present their view of nature to a wider community. Whatever the reasons, few would have contradicted Humboldtâ_Ts comment that he was â_ospurred on by an uncertain longing for what is distant and unknown, for whatever excited my fantasy: danger at sea, the desire for adventures, to be transported from a boring daily life to a marvellous worldâ__. Continent by continent Judith Magee draws on the unrivalled collections of the Library of the Natural History Museum to illustrate the development of natural history art through the centuries and its crucial role in furthering peopleâ_Ts appreciation of nature all around the world.
