The unscientific exotic bird man of Dordrecht. Aert Schouman, 1710 – 1792.

Ridiculously prolific & versatile, the 18th-century Dutch Republic painter from Dordrecht, Aert Schouman (4 March 1710 – 5 July 1792) was a glass engraver, printmaker, art teacher & collector/dealer. He did it all; still lifes, biblical & mythological themes, genre, historical and topographical works, portraits, sketches, etchings & mezzotints. He designed tapestries, painted wall-hangings, decorated objects such as fans, snuffboxes and even the glass windows of a magic lantern.

From out of all of all those those endless and complex biblical scenes, mythic tangents & dreamy, bucolic landscapes there’s one thing that just pops out and says “hi” to us today. His graphic natural history studies of exotic bird life (especially the heads, the portraits).

Aert was no scientist, but he was knew his exotic birds in detail & was deeply devoted to renering authenitic, true-to-life depictions of them.

The Right Rev. Erich Pontoppidan’s natural history of Norway : 1755.

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Reijer Stolk.

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The unscientific exotic bird man of Dordrecht. Aert Schouman, 1710 – 1792.

The Right Rev. Erich Pontoppidan’s natural history of Norway : 1755.

Inadvertent genius. City of Pittsburg Works Photography. Hump Removal Project 1908-17. By Anonymous.

Reijer Stolk.

Unintentionally epic. The inadvertent 1850s art of the London Palaeontographical Society.