Environmental Humanities LU Talk
A New History of Fishes: Ichthyology in Context (1500-1880)
- Date
- Wednesday 27 March 2024
- Time
- Address
-
University Library
Witte Singel 27
2311 BG Leiden - Room
- Vossius room
Fish and other forms of aquatic life have shaped human life since prehistoric times, and aquatic animals have not only provided food but also been a source of fascination and wonder for people all over the world. The Leiden research project A New History of Fishes. A long-term approach to fishes in science and culture, 1550-1880, funded by the Dutch Research Council, explored the emergence of ichthyology in early modern Europe and its relationship to changing cultures of knowledge and learning. The project culminated in the publication of Ichthyology in Context (1500-1880), edited by Paul J. Smith and Florike Egmond, with contributions from leading experts in the field.
To celebrate this achievement, Environmental Humanities LU is organising a short symposium with presentations by two of the contributors and a demonstration of the most important early modern fish books in the Leiden University Library. Anne Overduin-de Vries will speak on "Fishing in the Past: Biodiversity, Art History, and Citizen Science" and Didi van Trijp will present a paper on "The Natural History of Fish as a Shared Site of Investigation: The case of 17th-century England".
Unable to join in person?
