last 300 years, including John James Audubon, William Bartram, and brothers Franz and Ferdinand Bauer. Whether seeking fame, fortune, or simply the opportunity to share their breathtaking vision of nature, these scientists and artists were, in the words of Alexander von Humboldt, "spurred on by an uncertain longing for what is distant and unknown, for whatever excited my fantasy: danger at sea, the desire for adventures, to be transported from a boring daily life to a marvelous world." Continent by continent, Judith Magee draws on the unrivalled collections of the Library of the Natural History Museum, London, to illustrate the development of natural history art through the centuries, demonstrating its crucial role in promoting humanity’s appreciation of nature’s wonders.

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