Knowing Nature - Art and Science in Philadelphia, 1740-1840

PhiladelphiadevelopedthemostactivescientificcommunityinearlyAmerica,fosteringaninfluentialgroupofnaturalist-artists,includingWilliamBartram,CharlesWillsonPeale,AlexanderWilson,andJohnJamesAudubon,whoseworkhasbeenaddressedbymanymonographicstudies.However,asthegroundbreakingessaysinKnowingNaturedemonstrate,theexaminationofnaturestimulatednotonlyformsofartisticproductiontraditionallyassociatedwithscientificpracticeoftheday,butprocessesofmakingnotordinarilylinkedtoscience.Theoftensurprisinglyintimateconnectionsbetweenandamongthesecreativeactivitiesandtheobjectstheyengenderedareexploredthroughtheessaysinthisbook,challengingthehierarchythatisgenerallyassumedtohavebeenatplayinthestudyofnature,fromthenaturalsciencesthroughthefineanddecorativearts,and,ultimately,popularandmaterialculture.Indeed,themanywaysinwhichthemeansofknowingnaturewerereversed—inwhichartisticandartisanalcultureinformedscientificinterpretationsofthenaturalworld—formsacentralthemeofthispioneeringpublication.