The Americas
Cancer terrestris, land crab. Plate 32 from 'Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahamas', Vol 2 by Mark Catesby.
Our collections include beautiful artwork and scientific literature from the Americas.
As a British colony, North America in particular became a favoured region for exploration and collecting:
- Mark Catesby (1683-1749) published some of the earliest artwork and findings from the south east coast of North America.
- American-born naturalist and artist William Bartram (1739-1823) travelled in Georgia and Florida around the time of the American Revolution. His writings and artwork are considered examples of early ecology.
Other represented artists include John Abbott, John James Audubon, Alexander Humboldt and Robert Schomburgk.
