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arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
Art History Animalia
@arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
4.2K followers 370 following 2.7K posts
Zoologist exploring animal iconography via intersections of natural history with art & visual culture history. AKA Deniz (she/they), PhD student @ UD.
https://linktr.ee/arthistoryanimalia
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Reposted by Art History Animalia
romanceofbooks.bsky.social
'The Infant's Cabinet of Insects.' London: Printed and Sold by John Marshall, No. 4 Aldermary Church-Yard, in Bow Lane, 1801.

I saw this at Harvard's Houghton Library.

Someone should recreate this!

#insectart #naturalhistory #specialcollections #sciart
November 7, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Art History Animalia
romanceofbooks.bsky.social
Fish from John Hill’s

‘A general natural history, or, New and accurate descriptions of the animals, vegetables, and minerals, of the different parts of the world…’

London: Printed for Thomas Osborne, in Gray’s-Inn, Holbourn, 1748-1752

UW-Madison Special Collections.

#rarebooks #naturalhistory
November 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Art History Animalia
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Happy Sunday! 🦛 💙

Adorable ancient Egyptian blue faience hippos made by artisans some 4,000 years ago!

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four hippo statuettes made of Egytian blue faience, a ceramic material made of ground quartz. Their bright-blue shiny bodies are decorated in black with depictions of Nile river plants such as water weed and lotus flowers. This decoration depicts their marsh habitat as well as having various layers of symbolism associated with regeneration. For example lotus flowers open in the morning and close at night, symbolising rebirth. Blue faience hippos have been found in Middle Kingdom tombs of high ranking officials. It’s thought they were placed in the tombs to aid the rebirth of the deceased. Hippo top left - Walking hippo shown in profile facing right. Height 11.5 cm, Length 21 cm. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Top right - Roaring hippo (looks like the hippo is smiling), seated, with head at left and turned inwards to front. Height 7.5 cm, length 12.5 cm. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Bottom left - Standing hippo in profile facing right. This hippo is part of the Met Museum’s collections and is popularly known as ‘William’. Height 11.2 cm, Length 20 cm Bottom Right - Reclining hippo with head on the right, facing front, and tilted down. Egyptian Museum, Cairo
November 9, 2025 at 11:16 AM
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drnwillburger.bsky.social
For #MosaicMonday a charming duck.
Found in Trier, dating 4th century AD

📷 me

On display at Museum am Dom, Trier

🏺 #archaeology
A mosaic depicting a duck
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
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alisonfisk.bsky.social
Delightful detail from the Roman “unswept floor” mosaic by Heraclitus, showing a mouse nibbling a walnut.

Superb use of darker tiles for subtle shadow effect!

2nd century AD. Vatican Museums www.museivaticani.va/content/muse...

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
The image shows detail from a floor mosaic of a brown mouse on a pale background facing left with its nose close to half a walnut in its shell. The mouse has a long thin tail stretched out behind. The mosaicist has used a mix of lighter and darker brown tiles for the mouse’s body to hint at fur. The walnut is created with warmer light and dark brown tiles. Slightly darker background tiles have been used beneath the mouse and walnut to create subtle shadows
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Reposted by Art History Animalia
biodiversitypix.bsky.social
🐺 Ibis
[London]Published for the British Ornithologists' Union by Academic Press.

[Source]
Illustration of a black bird, Cephalopterus penduliger, perched on a mossy branch with green and yellow leaves in the background. The bird has a distinctive large, pendulous throat pouch hanging from its neck and a curved crest on its head. Its beak is slightly open, showing the detailed feathers and textured plumage. The artwork is signed by J. Wolf and printed by M & N. Hanhart, dated 1859, from a publication by the British Ornithologists' Union titled "Ibis." The illustration emphasizes the bird's unique throat pouch and elegant posture.
November 10, 2025 at 9:23 AM
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
William Patrick Roberts (UK, 1895–1980)
The Cockatoos, 1958
Oil on canvas, 813 x 508 mm
@tate.bsky.social T00196
www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks...
#Parrots #Cockatoos #Macaws #BirdsInArt
modern art painting depicting what appears to be a pet shop, with 3 human figures on right (1 adult with two children) waving at a group of five parrots perched on stands to the right (white cockatoo, black cockatoo, red and blue macaw, blue and yellow macaw, and a fifth red parrot behind that might be a lorry)
November 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
Meryl Smith (NY, USA, 1979)
#Herons, n.d.
Oil on canvas, 40” x 30“
merylsmith.com/herons
#BirdsInArt #ContrmporaryArt #WomenArtists
@everyheron.bsky.social 👀
painting depicting a trio of herons (grey-blue) standing together with exaggerated long legs and long necks, necks twisted together, on plain cream colored background
November 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
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romanceofbooks.bsky.social
Early 20th century biological wall chart of jellyfish titled ‘Méduses Acalèphes’ from a series created by French biologists Rémy Perrier and Casimir Cépède, drawn by P. Méry and edited by Jean Montaudon. Published by F. Champenois in Paris.

UWM Special Collections.

#WorldJellyfishDay #animalart
November 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
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romanpalace.bsky.social
#WorldJellyfishDay ✅
#MosaicMonday ✅

Never let it be said that we don't give The People what they want.
A photo of part of a Roman mosaic. On the left is part of the leg and arm of a person. On the right is a jellyfish. Trust us. It's a jellyfish. Honest.
November 3, 2025 at 5:47 PM
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markdon.bsky.social
"The Heron" - by NC Wyeth (1936⧸1937) - oil on canvas, 48⅛ × 30 in. at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum - Wausau, Wisconsin

#BirdOfTheDay #Heron
October 28, 2025 at 2:20 AM
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
For #WorldJellyfishDay: a sampling of Charles-Alexandre Lesueur's #sciart from his & François Péron's work conducted on the Baudin Expedition to Australia 1800-1804, which more than quadrupled the # of documented #jellyfish species. Muséum du Havre archives: museum-lehavre.fr/en/node/6
digitized image of a watercolor by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur (French, 1778-1846), unidentified jellyfish specimen from the Baudin Expedition to Australia (1800-1804), side view https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drawing_of_jellyfish_by_Lesueur_16.jpg digitized image of a watercolor by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur (French, 1778-1846), unidentified jellyfish specimen from the Baudin Expedition to Australia (1800-1804), side view https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drawing_of_jellyfish_by_Lesueur_17.jpg digitized image of a watercolor by Charles-Alexandre Lesueur (French, 1778-1846), unidentified jellyfish specimen from the Baudin Expedition to Australia (1800-1804), bottom view https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drawing_of_jellyfish_by_Lesueur_3.jpg
November 3, 2025 at 11:56 PM
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arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
From the blog: ANIMAL ART OF THE DAY for #WorldJellyfishDay : Ernst Haeckel’s Medusae arthistoryanimalia.com/2023/11/03/a...
ANIMAL ART OF THE DAY for World Jellyfish Day: Ernst Haeckel’s Medusae ART HISTORY ANIMALIA –
November 3rd is World Jellyfish Day! To celebrate, here is a dozen of Ernst Haeckel's "medusae" plates from Kunstformen der Natur (1899-1904) as well as the cover art that features a bonus one.
arthistoryanimalia.com
November 4, 2024 at 3:57 AM
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
Resharing for #WorldJellyfishDay 🪼
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social Art History Animalia @arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social · Nov 4
#WorldJellyfishDay 🪼
Compass Jellyfish, native to coastal NE Atlantic
Plate 27 from A Naturalist's Rambles on the Devonshire Coast, 1853
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3973589...
glass model from Cornell Collection of Blaschka Invertebrate Models, c.1882
digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/ss:2...
Compass Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella), native to coastal temperate NE Atlantic Ocean. Digitized image of color plate (XXVII) from Philip Henry Gosse's (English, 1810-1888) A Naturalist's Rambles on the Devonshire Coast, 1853. Side profile view of single specimen, mostly pink/white, presented on black backround. Compass Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella), native to coastal temperate NE Atlantic Ocean. Digitized photo image of glass model from the Cornell Collection of Blaschka Invertebrate Models, c. 1882. Single model on circular wooden stand, photographed on on black background.
November 3, 2025 at 11:39 PM
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
Resharing for #WorldJellyfishDay 🪼
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social Art History Animalia @arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social · May 16
Jean Schlumberger (France, 1907–1987) for Tiffany & Co., USA
#Jellyfish (La Méduse) [Brooch], 1967
Moonstones, diamonds, sapphires, 18k gold, platinum
Collection of Rachel Lambert Mellon @ Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
vmfa.museum/exhibitions/...
Official museum photo of the object on black background: “Designed as a jellyfish, the body set with a domed cluster of cabochon moonstones, accented by circular-cut diamonds, extending curling textured gold and baguette-cut sapphire tentacles and flexible polished gold tentacles, mounted in 18k gold and platinum” (description via Christie’s: https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5125069 )
November 3, 2025 at 11:39 PM
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wildlife.nathan.fun
Monograph of the Paradiseidae, or birds of paradise and Ptilonorhynchidae, or bower-birds. London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1891-98. (source: https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48735378) #nature #illustration #art
Monograph of the Paradiseidae, or birds of paradise and Ptilonorhynchidae, or bower-birds. London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1891-98. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48735378�
October 30, 2025 at 9:05 AM
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wildlife.nathan.fun
Monograph of the Paradiseidae, or birds of paradise and Ptilonorhynchidae, or bower-birds. London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1891-98. (source: https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48735310) #nature #illustration #art
Monograph of the Paradiseidae, or birds of paradise and Ptilonorhynchidae, or bower-birds. London: H. Sotheran & Co., 1891-98. https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48735310�
October 31, 2025 at 12:08 PM
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medmilmedicine.bsky.social
The Bugs & Beasties Banquet - 15th century, Kraków, MNK 3025 I, p. 411
October 17, 2025 at 4:43 AM
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medmilmedicine.bsky.social
Tuesday’s ‘elephant done by a medieval artist that has never seen one’ - 14th century, British Library, Sloane MS 4016, f. 50r
October 15, 2025 at 4:43 AM
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medmilmedicine.bsky.social
Time for another ‘elephant done by a medieval artist that had never seen one’ - 12th century, Cambridge, University Library, MS Ii.4.26, f. 7v
November 3, 2025 at 6:54 AM
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alaintruong.bsky.social
Lot 1041. A blue and white 'Buddhist lions' basin, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue in a line and of the period (1573-1619); 35.1 cm diam. Price realised HKD 279,400 (Estimate HKD 200,000 – HKD 300,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2025

www.alaintruong.com/2025/11/a-bl...
November 3, 2025 at 7:00 AM
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biodivlibrary.bsky.social
Alfred Mayor's "Medusae of the world" (1910) attempted to describe all known forms from all parts of the world. The #SciArt is based on drawings, from life, by William K. Brooks and Louis Murbach. View it in #BHLib: www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography... #WorldJellyfishDay #ILoveBHL
Historic illustrations of jellyfish Historic illustrations of jellyfish
November 3, 2025 at 7:40 AM
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mdstamper.bsky.social
“Girl Holding a Rabbit” by William Oliver (British) - Oil on canvas / c. 1860–1890 - Aberystwyth University School of Art Museum and Galleries (Aberystwyth, Wales) #WomenInArt #art #artText #artwork #VictorianArt #BritishArt #19thCenturyArt #Portrait #BlueskyArt #Rabbit #Aberystwyth #WilliamOliver
Although the sitter’s name is unrecorded, British artist William Oliver gives us a vivid story of care and companionship. In Victorian Britain, pet-keeping blossomed in middle-class homes, and pictures of children with animals circulated as emblems of tenderness and moral instruction. Rabbits, especially white ones, often signaled gentleness and domestic innocence. A light-skinned girl in a black velvet jacket and soft cap looks directly toward us with her round blue eyes steady and cheeks flushed. A narrow blue bow peeks from a white collar and a silver rosette pins her black cap. She cradles a large albino white rabbit with pink eyes and soft, drooping ears. Behind them, a rough timber door and a worn wooden hutch suggest a stable. The rabbit’s fur is rendered in feathery strokes against the darker clothing as fine curls at her temples catch the light. The pose reads as careful, protective while the setting smells of hay and wood dust. The girl’s steady hold and the open hutch beside them imply daily routines of feeding, cleaning, and time spent earning a creature’s trust. Oliver’s close framing, natural light, and the contrast of bright fur against dark cloth heighten intimacy, inviting us to meet the rabbit’s quick gaze as much as the young woman’s. William Oliver, born William Oliver Williams, trained at the Royal Academy Schools and worked for the Arundel Society copying Italian frescoes before settling in London. After the 1850s, he became known for carefully finished genre scenes and portraits of young women and children, shown at the Royal Academy and other exhibitions. By the time this was painted, he had refined a popular Victorian blend of sentiment and realism through meticulous textures, luminous skin, and props that carry gentle narrative weight. Often signing “W. Oliver,” he is sometimes confused with an older namesake. “Girl Holding a Rabbit” reflects his intimate, polished, and attuned appeal to the era’s ideals of kindness and domestic virtue.
November 3, 2025 at 6:07 AM
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mdstamper.bsky.social
“Portrait of Rebecca Orne” by Joseph Badger (American) – Oil on canvas / 1757 – Worcester Art Museum (Massachusetts) #WomenInArt #art #artText #artwork #ColonialArt #AmericanArt #18thCenturyArt #WorcesterArtMuseum #Portraiture #NewEnglandHistory #ArtHistory #BlueskyArt #GirlsInArt #AmericanArtist
This likeness is one of six portraits Salem merchant Timothy Orne ordered from Boston painter Joseph Badger in 1756 and 1757 to display the prosperity of his household. Orne’s wealth came from a fleet of more than fifty vessels trading fish, grain, molasses, rum, textiles … and at times enslaved people …through the Atlantic world as the same maritime system that nourished his fortune also trafficked in human bondage. The portrait thus records not only young Rebecca’s refinement but the hidden labor of African and Indigenous people whose dispossession and forced work underwrote Salem’s elegance. A ghostly-pale girl stands before a warm, neutral background with her dark hair drawn back and her gaze steady and self-possessed. She wears a rose-colored silk dress with pale blue-gray ruffles that frame her neck and sleeves while the sheen of the fabric is painted in thin, careful layers. In her right hand clings a soft gray pet squirrel, probably an elite colonial child’s companion, signaling gentility and leisure. Her body is turned slightly to the our left, so that the oval of her face becomes the focus. Nothing around her tells of labor or landscape; this is a portrait of status, youth, and belonging in mid-18th-century New England. As an adult, Rebecca married Salem captain and merchant Joseph Cabot in 1768, keeping her within the same shipping-and-slavery-entangled network her father built. Charlestown-born, Badger was originally a house-painter and largely self-taught. He had, by the 1750s, become one of Boston’s “go-to” portraitists for merchants who could not yet command the wildly popular John Singleton Copley. Badger’s methodical underpainting, gray preparatory tones, and frontal poses suited clients who wanted restraint, good taste, and recognizable likenesses. In giving Rebecca a fashionable squirrel, he joined a small colonial trend using an animal to signal both affection and control over nature.
November 2, 2025 at 10:50 PM
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alisonfisk.bsky.social
Roman glass cups with colourful enamel decoration of animals from the Roman arena. AD 200s.

Found in richly-furnished graves in Denmark. National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen. 📷 by me

#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four images of Roman-era clear-glass cups painted with colourful enamel decoration depicting animals from the Roman Arena. Known as ‘circus cups’, fourteen of which have been found in richly-furnished ‘princely’ graves in Denmark. Dated AD 200s. The top two images show two sides of the same cup. Top left: a brown lion with shaggy mane, its front and rear legs outstretched as if running at full speed. Top right: a green spotted leopard. Out of shot, a blue goat is being hunted down by the lion and the leopard. Bottom left: fragmentary glass cup decorated with a light brown lion with shaggy mane. Nose and lips outlined in black. Bottom right: image of a gladiator with green leggings and blue shield, and in front of him a large brown bear.
October 31, 2025 at 4:38 PM