The Globe Fish (Tetrodon lagocephalus) Possibly 1731 - 1743

Mark Catesby, an English naturalist, created this print of "The Globe Fish" during his expeditions to the Americas in the early 18th century. His detailed illustrations were part of a larger project to document the flora and fauna of the New World. Catesby straddled the line between scientific observation and the colonial gaze. He depicted a globe fish alongside native plants, reflecting both an interest in natural history and the impulse to classify and catalogue the resources of newly ‘discovered’ lands. How does Catesby negotiate his identity as an explorer, a scientist, and a participant in the colonial project? This image also raises questions about representation and knowledge. Catesby's prints served as a primary source of information about the natural world for many Europeans. But we should ask ourselves, whose perspectives were privileged in these depictions, and whose were left out? The delicate rendering of the fish and plants invites us to contemplate the intersection of art, science, and colonialism in shaping our understanding of the natural world.