Silkie Cockerel and Silkie Hen, from "Le Magasin Pittoresque" 1861

This detailed drawing of a Silkie Cockerel and Hen was created by Charles Jacque and published in the French magazine "Le Magasin Pittoresque" sometime in the mid-19th century. What might seem like a simple illustration of poultry actually tells us a lot about the social and cultural values of the time. “Le Magasin Pittoresque” was an illustrated educational magazine intended for a wide audience. In an era defined by scientific advancement and burgeoning industrialization, there was an increased interest in the natural world, even in domesticated animals like these chickens. The detailed rendering, along with the use of the racial classification "nègre", reflects the period’s scientific, social, and at times, problematic interest in categorizing and understanding the natural world. These kinds of images would have shaped public understanding and appreciation for natural history, and for different animal breeds. To fully understand the meaning of this image, we can consider the broader context of 19th-century natural history illustration, the rise of popular science, and the social values that informed these visual representations.