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XL
XL books are at least 34 cm (13.4 in.) high, with the exception of landscape-format titles

Seba. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

80Edition: Multilingual (English, French, German)Availability: In Stock
Albertus Seba’s catalog of natural specimens is not only one of the 18th century’s greatest natural history achievements but also one of the most prized natural history books of all time. Inspired from a rare hand-colored original, this collection gathers all his extraordinary illustrations of strange and exotic plants, snakes, corals, as well as “double-headed monsters”, dragons, and many more.
Hardcover9.6 x 14.6 in.8.83 lb592 pages
“A powerful testament to nature’s beauty and diversity.”
Chicago Tribune
“The eye-popping displays leave us in awe of the diversity of the natural world, as well as the engravers’ skill in producing these beautifully detailed plates.”
The Huffington Post
“Snakes alive! What a cabinet of creepy-crawly curiosities.”
The Independent
XL
XL books are at least 34 cm (13.4 in.) high, with the exception of landscape-format titles
Seba. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

Seba. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

80

Curious Creatures

Albertus Seba’s unrivaled catalog of animals, insects, and “freaks of nature”

The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is one of the 18th century’s greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time. Though scientists of his era often collected natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-based pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665–1736) was unrivaled in his passion. His amazing collection of animals, plants, and insects from all around the world earned him international fame.

In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba commissioned careful and often scenic illustrations of every specimen. With these meticulous drawings, he arranged for the publication of a four-volume catalog, covering the entire collection from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs, crocodiles, shellfish, corals, birds, and butterflies, as well as creatures that are now extinct.

Taken from a rare hand-colored original, the best-selling collection features an introduction that contextualizes the fascinating tradition of natural collections to which Seba’s curiosities belonged.
The authors

Irmgard Müsch, born in 1967, studied art history, history, and classical archaeology in Mainz and Berlin. Her PhD thesis from 1999 examines Johann Jakob Scheuchzer’s Kupfer-Bibel, a richly illustrated scientific commentary on the Bible from the early 18th century. She has published on art of the 18th and 20th centuries, scientific illustrations, and Kunstkammer pieces.

Jes Rust, born 1963, completed his studies in geology, paleontology, and zoology at Göttingen and Kiel. His thesis dealt with the evolution of fossil snails living in the fresh and brackish waters of prehistoric Greece. His assistantship at the Institute of Zoology in Göttingen between 1993 and 1999 was followed by his appointment in 2001 as professor of invertebrate paleontology and insect phylogeny at the University of Bonn.

Rainer Willmann holds a chair in zoology at Göttingen University, is director of its Zoological Museum, and is cofounder of its Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research. A specialist in phylogenetics and evolution, he conducts research into biodiversity and its history.

Seba. Cabinet of Natural Curiosities
Hardcover24.5 x 37.2 cm4.00 kg592 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-6906-4

Edition: Multilingual (English, French, German)
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5

/5

7 Ratings

Astounding Addition to Any Collection

Brent,February 2, 2022
Beautiful, exquisitely detailed color plates. Even some of the oddball representations of the flora and fauna add to the fascination. The kind of book you flip through again and again.

Beautifully Illustrated

Brandon S.,November 3, 2021
The illustrations in this book are beautifully printed bringing out all the details of the original art.

Great book!

Francisco,October 28, 2021
Really interesting book with beautiful illustrations.

Gorgeous. Huge. Fantastic.

Widgett W.,October 28, 2021
Glad we snagged this one. If memory serves we got the Large edition and not the XL edition, which again, if memory serves, would require its own room. But this is perfect for when you want to see gorgeous natural art and flip through a freaking tome in the privacy of your own home.

Stunning and amazing!

David,October 27, 2021
I own two editions of this book. This larger edition is highly recommended, since the illustrations are large enough to immerse one into the actual world of the book. As a publisher, TASCHEN has selected an area of study that the public might not encounter aside from having this book in hand. As with all b