Hi, 12/21/2008 with apologies for cross-posting
I have just seen an advance copy of a new documentary film -- "The Curious
Mister Catesby" -- and thought that members of Museum-L would want to
know about it.
It's about the naturalist-artist, Mark Catesby, who--long before
Audubon--was exploring America and documenting American birds and
plants in a series of gorgeous hand-colored engravings. Catesby's
original drawings were only recently re-discovered in Windsor Castle!
When 18th century Europeans and colonial Americans talked about
American wildlife, it was Catesby's images they had in their mind's
eye (Jefferson read his copy with care).
I've got my own scholarly and curatorial reasons for finding the film absorbing
(Linnaeus and Kalm, the heroes of my exhibition at the NJ State Museum,
knew and respected Catesby). But it's such an engaging combination of
history, art, and natural history footage that I think anyone, of any
age, who is interested in colonial America, 18th century studies,
wildlife -- especially birds (notably the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker,
thought extinct until 2008)--, Native Americans, medicinal plants,
exploration, nature, or the environment would be excited by it. I am
sure it would make a great public program.
The film's website, http://www.catesbytrust.org, has snippets of the
film and sample audio, information about Catesby's life, some of his
illustrations, and order information (I just noticed they've got a
special deal on for the holidays).
I gather "The Curious Mister Catesby" will be shown on public
television stations around the country at different times -- but why
wait and risk missing it?
With all best wishes of the season,
Karen
Karen Reeds, PhD, FLS [log in to unmask]
Guest Curator, Come into a New World: Linnaeus & America
American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia, February 15-July 1,
2007
Now showing at New Jersey State Museum, Trenton, NJ, through
Saturday Jan. 3, 2009
http://www.americanswedish.org/,
http://www.americanswedish.org/linnaeus.htm
http://www.nj.gov/state/museum/see_come-into-new-world.htm
Exhibition guide available from
http://www.dianepublishing.net/category_s/490.htm (p.4)
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