Rare Treasures: From the Library of the Natural History Museum

by Judith Magee

Each book presented here has been chosen for its scientific and artistic merit, and each one is accompanied by an essay from a museum expert, explaining its role in the development of natural history. The books featured include the oldest book in the Library, the 1469 edition of Pliny the Elder’s Historia Naturalis; Albertus Seba’s striking Locupletissimi Rerum published from 1734; Mark Catesby’s The History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, the first published account of the flora and fauna of this area; and the stunning line drawings from Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt in 1798. The Library of the Natural History Museum contains one of the most exciting and comprehensive collections of natural history literature and artworks to be found anywhere in the world.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 2017

Reviews

[Rosemary Standeven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really beautiful book about beautiful books and artworks held in the Natural History Museum. Each featured book has several plates (usually) full coloured reproduced, a brief description of the boo;, when, where and why it was made; and a bit about the author/artist. I did not read all the articles, just a couple that really interested me, but I did look at all the amazing pictures, and read their captions.
I own a facsimile (Folio Society) copy of Pliny’s ‘Historia Naturalis’ (1469) – the first item in the book, and a black and white paperback copy of Gerard’s ‘Herball’ (1597), and have seen an original copy at the RHS Lindley library. The only other item that I have seen a copy of, is Edward Lear’s ‘Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots’ (1830s). One of my aunts was an art conservator in New Zealand, and on one of my visits to her studio, she was conserving an original copy of this amazingly beautiful and vibrant book. Like most people, I had only known Edward Lear as a writer of nonsense rhymes up until that point.
The other items were quite new to me, but no less interesting and wonderful. Most were drawn anatomically or botanically correctly, though some of the earlier illustrations could be quite fanciful, such as in Ulisses Aldrovandi’s ‘Monstrotum Historia cum Paralipomensis Historiae Omnium Animalium’ (1642 – the title says it all!)).
A lovely book to flick through, and even lovelier to own.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of articles that present 31 highlights from the collection of the Natural History Museum's library: from Pliny the Elder via Maria Sybilla Merian to John James Audubon and finally Ernst Haeckel.

Each of the 31 works in this book are breathtakingly beautiful and were pioneering in their time. The process of creating a book in earlier times - making sketches of living or dead creatures, watercoloring them, converting them into etchings/lithographs, printing, then coloring them by hand - was very time-consuming and costly. The natural scientists described were therefore often dependent on subscribers and on lobbying. I have so much for these scientists and artists who, in a time before photography, air travel and the internet, still dedicated their time to share knowledge about flora and fauna in other parts of the world.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but somehow dryly written book about books held at the Natural History Museum.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love old manuscripts. Originals are most amazing, but this facsimile copy is a good second best. Includes interesting commentary.

[Georgia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a surprise to me. A self confessed philistine, I'd choose a seat in a cafe over hours trudging around a natural history museum. But, this book comes close to converting me.

The cover caught my eye. Enticing as a scene from a harem, it captures a dance of jellyfish in the sea. I've seen them for real. Once, in the Baltic. I swam. And purple veiled jellyfish circled around me. I lay back and opened my arms. They dressed me with their finery. For waking that memory, I'll treasure this book.

Any one of its illustrations, if framed, would make a room grand. A blushing rose here is more erotic than many nudes I've seen on walls. The volcanoes are humbling reminders of what constitutes real power. The flowers of Georgia O'Keefe and Roger Mapplethorpe come to mind and more. The commentary on the artists (one who names a jellyfish for the wife he loved and lost so young) made me pause in awe.