Exocetus 1817 - 1821

Curator: This delicate engraving is titled "Exocetus," created by Charles Alexandre Lesueur between 1817 and 1821. It’s a print showcasing flying fish, rendered with impressive precision. Editor: My initial reaction is one of wonder. The detail given to this biological study elevates it to the sublime; and those wings transform the fish, promising a form of escape and freedom that resonates beyond simple scientific study. Curator: Lesueur was a naturalist and artist on a French scientific expedition to Australia. These illustrations were vital for disseminating knowledge in an era before photography dominated scientific documentation. What do you see regarding its artistic intentions? Editor: He seems deeply concerned with cataloging every feature; the texture of the scales is nearly tactile. Note the focus on the peculiar structures around the fish’s mouths—drawn like fanciful, drooping mustaches! And the position of the fins… Do they suggest a yearning for flight beyond a watery boundary? This creature is forever caught between two worlds. Curator: I find myself pondering its reception in European scientific circles. Visual accuracy would have been valued above all else; yet the composition hints at the influence of earlier traditions in natural history illustration, where aesthetics and symbolic understanding of nature were intertwined. The arrangement on the page and use of shading give depth beyond pure function. Editor: Look at how each tiny scale is perfectly placed to convey volume and the direction of light. Even though its primary role was scientific illustration, Lesueur imbued his subject with so much symbolism that his Exocetus transcends being simply a representation of a species. The meticulous rendering elevates the everyday to the extraordinary. Curator: Agreed. Considering that art and science existed in separate spheres by the 19th century, it speaks volumes that there is symbolic weight, adding depth to Lesueur's scientific cataloguing. Editor: It's an unexpectedly soulful study of aquatic life that captures more than meets the naturalist's eye. Curator: Absolutely, Lesueur's image is more than just science.