Haring, tong en zeenaald 1581 - 1652

This undated print shows three types of fish and was made by an anonymous artist using etching. The orderly display of the fish alongside their names reflects the rise of scientific observation and classification that took place in the Netherlands during the early modern period. The detailed rendering of the fish is of great importance. From the 16th century onward, artists created ‘cabinets of curiosities’, which were collections of natural and historical objects with scientific value. They were often used as visual tools to communicate new discoveries about the natural world. This print comes out of that tradition, as it sought to create an objective record for the classification of nature. Historians of science consult prints like this alongside other resources such as scientific texts, correspondence, and specimens preserved in collections. The print is less about aesthetic pleasure than it is about creating a visual record of the world based on observation and about placing this record in the context of contemporary systems of knowledge.