May 9, 2011

Albertus Seba’s Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

Seba's collection of scenic illustrations was one of the 18th century's greatest natural history achievements. Here is a pick of images from the collection

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — Cabinet of Natural Curiosities, by Albertus Seba, is published by Taschen and is available at www.taschen.com for £27.99 Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1 Brown four-eyed possum (Metachirus nudicaudatus); 2-3 three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus); 4 black-capped lory (Lorius lory); 5 king bird of paradise (Cicinnurus regius) Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — Southern common possum (Didelphis marsupialis) Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1 Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea); 2 hawk-headed parrot (Deroptys accipitrinus); 3 tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor); 4 Helmeted manakin (Antilophia galeata); 5 Hummingbird (Trochilidae) Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1 Asiatic elephant foetus (Elephas maximus); 2 human foetus (Homo sapiens) 3 sheep embryo (Ovis); 4 pig embryo (Sus); 5-6 mouse (Mus) Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1-2 Snakes, according to Seba from Surinam; 3 snake, according to Seba from Brazil Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1-4 Sepias (Sepiida); 5-6 arrow squids/flying squids (Teuthida); 7-8 sepia eggs; 9-10 cuttlebone of a sepia Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1a, b Horseshoe crab (Xiphosura); 2 penaeid shrimp (Penaeidae); 3 lobster (Homarus); 4 spider crab (Majidae); 5 crab (Brachyura); 6 eggs of a crab; 1-4 porcelain crabs (Porcellanidae) Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — Turret shells, auger shells and tibias from the Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean Photograph: Taschen

Albertus Seba: Cabinet of Natural Curiosities — 1-4 Walking stick (Phasmatodea); 5-6 katydids (Ensifera); 7-12 dragonflies (Odonata) Photograph: Taschen

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