Insects, 18th century, Nicolaas Struyk, Dutch, 1686 - 1769, 17 1/2 × 11 1/16 in. (44.45 × 28.1 cm) (sheet)21 × 14 3/4 in. (53.34 × 37.47 cm) (sight)22 3/4 × 16 1/2 × 5/8 in. (57.79 × 41.91 × 1.59 cm) (outer frame), Transparent and opaque watercolor and grey wash on paper, Netherlands, 18th century, This drawing comes from the Age of Enlightenment, a period of heightened scientific study of the natural world. In his youth, Dutch mathematician Nicolaas Struyk took great interest in insects. He collected them on outings with his father, and he had access to formidable collections that we were being assembled in his hometown, the international trading city of Amsterdam. One of the greatest collections belonged to Albertus Seba, a pharmacist who provided medicines to voyagers heading to Indonesia and other far-away places. Attempting to discover materials with pharmaceutical potential, Seba acquired natural history specimens from the sailors who returned. He eventually built an enormous collection that he sold to Russian tsar Peter the Great. Struyk made beautiful illustrations of Seba’s specimens and similar material from other collections, compiling six volumes of drawings by 1719. These marvelous insects may well have come from Indonesia, where the locals would eat them.
Keywords:
Insects, 18th century, Nicolaas Struyk, Dutch, 1686 - 1769, sheet, sight, outer frame, Transparent, opaque watercolor, grey wash, paper, Netherlands, 18th century, drawing comes, Age, Enlightenment, period, heightened scientific study, natural world, youth, Dutch mathematician Nicolaas Struyk, great interest, insects, collected, outings, father, access, formidable collections, assembled, hometown, international trading city, Amsterdam, greatest collections, Albertus Seba, pharmacist, provided medicines, voyagers heading, Indonesia, far-away places, Attempting, discover materials, pharmaceutical potential, Seba acquired natural history specimens, sailors, returned, eventually built, enormous collection, sold, Russian tsar Peter, Great, Struyk, beautiful illustrations, Seba's specimens, material, collections, compiling six volumes, drawings, 1719, marvelous insects, well, come, Indonesia, locals, eat
Image ID:
The watermark in the image will not appear on the final download.