ALBERTUS SEBA. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

Albertus Seba`s Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is one of the 18th century`sgreatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prizednatural history books of all time.Though it was common for men of hisprofession to collect natural specimens for research purposes,Amsterdambased pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665-1736) had a passion that ledhim far beyond the call of duty. His amazing, unprecedented collection ofanimals, plants and insects from all around the world gained internationalfame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Sebacommissioned illustrations of each and every specimen and arranged thepublication of a four-volume catalog detailing his entirecollection—from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs,crocodiles, shellfish, corals, insects, butterflies and more, as well asfantastic beasts, such as a hydra and a dragon. Seba`s scenicillustrations, often mixing plants and animals in a single plate, wereunusual even for the time. Many of the stranger and more peculiarcreatures from Seba`s collection, some of which are now extinct, were ascurious to those in Seba`s day as they are to us now. This reproduction is taken from a rare, hand-colored original. Theintroduction offers background information about the fascinating traditionof the cabinet of curiosities to which Seba`s curiosities belonged.