Author Description

Albertus Seba's "Cabinet of Natural Curiosities" is one of the 18th century's greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time. Though it was common for men of his profession to collect natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-based pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665-1736) had a passion that led him far beyond the call of duty. His amazing, unprecedented collection of animals, plants and insects from all around the world gained international fame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba commissioned illustrations of each and every specimen and arranged the publication of a four-volume catalog detailing his entire collection—from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs, crocodiles, shellfish, corals, insects, butterflies and more, as well as fantastic beasts, such as a seven-headed hydra. The beautiful illustrations transport these creatures from the scientific world of specimens into extremely aesthetic and vivid scenes, where plants and animals intermingle. It is this narrative element that continues to lend the book much of its special fascination. This magnificent reproduction of all 449 of the original plates it taken from a rare, hand-coloured copy at the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague. The introduction provides background information on the intriguing tradition of the cabinet of curiosities to which Seba's collection belonged. A journey into the past and simultaneously a road to rediscovering the wonders of Nature, which remain as vital as ever. Includes introductory texts (in English, German, and French) by Irmgard Müsch, Rainer Willmann, and Jes Rust.