The Natural History Museum

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The art of Franz and Ferdinand Bauer was praised by the poet and botanist Johann Goethe as the perfect expression of the aims of botanical illustration. The book examines the contrasting lives of Franz (1758-1840), for 50 years the resident artist at Kew Gardens, and Ferdinand (1760-1826) who led a life of travel and adventure as a natural history artist including participating in the historic voyage to Australia of HMS Investigator in the early nineteenth century. It is illustrated with images from the superb archive of Bauer drawings at the Natural History Museum Library, many of which have never been published before. These include beautiful and finely detailed watercolours of flowering plants collected from across the world, pioneering microscopical drawings of plant anatomy and pictures of the newly discovered animals from the coasts of Australia. The book is published to tie-in with a new art exhibition opening at the Natural History Museum in November 2015.

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In 1788, nearly fifteen-hundred people on eleven sailing ships came ashore at Port Jackson in Australia after a gruelling eight month journey from England. This collection of vessels later became known as the First Fleet, and those who sailed in them were the community who established the first European colony in Australia. The Art of the First Fleet depicts the natural history of this extraordinary land, the people and culture of the local indigenous population and the events that marked these initial formative years. The collection, now housed in the Natural History Museum, provides an invaluable record of the wildlife and environment, people and events, as seen through the eyes of the colonists who laid the foundations for the European settlement of Australia. The artists drawings of the people and culture of the Eora people, the local indigenous population of the area, provide the only lasting visual record of their lives. While images of plants and animals were not always technically accurate, they made a significant contribution to the development of science, allowing experts in Britain to be able to identify and name a large number of new species. They remain an invaluable record of the artists attempts to make sense and order of this new land.

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For centuries the natural life of the British Isles has captured the imagination of both artists and scientists. The Art of British Natural History explores the many different ways in which Britain's flora and fauna have been documented, from engravings and watercolours to ink and charcoal drawings. The Art of British Natural History is illustrated with over 100 specially selected artworks from the collections of the Natural History Museum's Library and Archives. Together these images span 300 years of British history and include the works of major figures such as William MacGillivray, Moses Harris, Edward Wilson and Ernest Mansell. Andrea Hart's accompanying essay reveals that these images are both beautiful to look at and have also played a crucial role in advancing scientific knowledge in Britain. She also traces how these images have influenced the history of printing, art, and popular culture.

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Chinese Art and the Reeves Collection is a selection of some of the finest examples of Chinese natural history drawings in the Natural History Museum's collections, many of which have never been published before. The book brings together a unique collection of botanical, zoological and entomological drawings depicting the natural history of China. Commissioned and collected during the early nineteenth century by John Reeves and his son, and now housed in the Natural History Museum, London, these outstanding images are important not only for their striking beauty but also for their scientific significance. Sent to China in 1812, John Reeves was a tea inspector for the East India Company and a keen amateur naturalist who commissioned hundreds of scientific drawings from local artists, which were then sent to Britain. Despite often being highly stylised, the images helped to further European knowledge of Chinese natural history during a time when access to the country was severely restricted. Through their dedicated and enthusiastic work, Reeves and his son helped pave the way for some of the great explorers and collectors that followed.

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Andrew Parker takes the colours of the spectrum as his keys to the natural world. In clear and accessible style he shows how colour plays a vital role in the struggle for life, and that nature's palette is far more miraculous than had been previously imagined - so miraculous in fact that it fools and misleads eyes all the time, both of animal predators and their prey. With vivid and fascinating examples of how colour has affected animals in different environments across the globe, Seven Deadly Colours not only shows the endless wonder of the natural world but also extends our understanding of evolution itself.

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This is a collection of exceptional images of animal behaviour, all having been recognized in past years of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - the most famous and prestigious event of its kind in the world. Each captures a moment that reveals a special aspect of an animal's lifestyle or a surprising element of behaviour, sometimes photographed for the very first time.Such images can involve luck, but it is a luck created by both photographic skill and an intimacy with the subject that usually comes from spending long periods in the field. The pictures have been taken by more than 50 award-winning photographers worldwide representing more than 20 countries.

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This is the visual story of life in Maasai Mara, Kenya, wild home of African big game and one of the world's most famous wildlife reserves. Anup Shah's distinctive style of photography propels the reader into the middle of this evocative land and its resident animals, immediately and intimately. The Mara reveals a magnificent stage for the performance of life. The drama is driven by the rhythm of the seasons, from the start of new life at the end of the rainy season, through to the hardships endured during the long, dry season. The images capture anger, death, hope, arrivals, and departures, and provide a startlingly fresh and rarely seen view of life in this popular reserve. The images are accompanied by thought-provoking captions which describe the breathtaking land that Anup experienced first-hand during trips to the Mara between 2011 and 2015. Now the reader can experience the essence and wonder of Mara life with this astounding volume.

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Minerals are naturally occurring elements or chemical compounds, formed by geological processes such as volcanic eruptions, that have a crystal structure. They are beautiful, essential and hold the secret of the technological advances of the future. This handy 8-page fold-out guide is designed to help readers identify 39 common minerals found around the world. At least one striking colour photograph and some key facts are provided for each mineral featured. The guide is double-sided and gloss laminated with a concertina fold.

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Explore the wonders of the avian world with this comprehensive and fully illustrated guide to every aspect of bird life. Highly respected ornithologist and wildlife expert, Jonathan Elphick, begins by defining the distinguishing features of birds before going on to describe their evolution since the age of the dinosaurs. With the aid of fact boxes and clear photographs, he then explores in greater detail each of the significant elements of bird life: bird biology including anatomy, walking and swimming, plumage, calls and songs; flight techniques and styles; food and feeding; bird lifestyles and social relationships; breeding, growth and development; bird geography and habitats; and the mysteries of migration. He also considers human attitudes towards birds through the ages. With special photography from award-winning wildlife photographer David Tipling and many other top bird photographers, this book is a unique insight into the world of birds and essential reading for all ornithologists, bird watchers and natural history enthusiasts.

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Using exquisite botanical paintings from the Library of the Natural History Museum as its starting point, Flora examines the fascinating history of 20 plants including such favorites as cacti, daffodils, irises, magnolias, poppies, roses, tulips, and waterlilies. Sandra Knapp's text weaves scientific, historic, cultural, and artistic threads into a rich fabric of plant lore and tells the remarkable stories of the adventurous botanist explorers who braved disease, slave traders, war, jungles, and assorted dangers to collect plants now commonly grown in our gardens. With the aid of striking illustrations, Flora considers the compelling link between botanical art and the exploration of plant form and function, thus allowing us to appreciate and enjoy them all the more. The Library of the Natural History Museum is a repository for one of the most exciting and comprehensive collections of natural history literature and artworks to be found anywhere in the world. It holds more than half a million artworks, comprising one of Britain's biggest art collections and representing all the great natural history artists. Flora was previously titled Plant Discoveries.

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This beautiful box set is drawn from the unrivalled collection of images at the Natural History Museum, London. It includes exquisitely crafted works from some of the most famous natural history artists ever published including Audubon, Gould, MacGillivray and Bauer. They are complemented by Jonathan Elphick's detailed text, which interweaves ornithological science, art history, biography and travel to create a vivid picture of the lives of both the artists and the birds they painted. Jonathan Elphick's book is accompanied by 36 stunning frameable prints (333 x 260 mm), pictured below, which have been reproduced directly from the original artworks held by the Museum.

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Explore the wonders of the avian world with this ultimate reference book. The World of Birds is both a comprehensive guide to every aspect of bird life and a concise survey of the world's orders and families of birds. It begins by defining the distinguishing features of birds before going on to describe their evolution since the age of the dinosaurs. With the aid of fact boxes and clear photographs, it then explores in greater detail each of the significant elements of bird life: bird biology including anatomy, walking and swimming, plumage, calls and songs; flight techniques and styles; food and feeding; bird lifestyles and social relationships; breeding, growth and development; bird geography and habitats; and the mysteries of migration. The book contains a comprehensive survey of the world's birds which includes details of every one of the 29 orders and each of the approximately 200 families. Reflecting the latest classification changes to the Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, it explains how birds are classified and provides an outline of the system of classification. Lastly, but significantly, the book considers human attitudes towards birds through the ages. Sumptuously illustrated throughout with photographs, maps and diagrams, The World of Birds is a book every bird watcher should own.