Revolution: Nature in the time of change 1776–1848
An exhibition on the changing practices of natural history in the ‘Age of Revolutions’.
This exhibition ran from 10 July until 30 August 2024.
The decades around 1800 were a time of momentous social, political and economic change. But the time between the 1776 American Revolution and 1848, the ‘Year of Revolutions’, also saw dramatic upheavals in the world of Natural History.
During this time, Western practices of ‘creating’ knowledge about the natural world became enmeshed with the interests of diverse groups across the globe - from Indigenous groups in Polynesia, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe through to travelling botanists, ships’ surgeons and surveyors.
This exhibition followed a naturalist's journey of the time. From preparing to commence global travel; collecting specimens and samples; keeping records and illustrating nature; and finally publishing findings on the natural world.
We questioned how during these processes, information was exchanged and integrated while being adapted to suit a range of conflicting interests.
This exhibition was co-curated by Dr Edwin Rose and Professor Staffan Müller-Wille (Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge) and Dr Isabelle Charmantier (Head of Collections, Linnean Society).
It complemented a day meeting organised by Dr Rose and Prof. Müller-Wille, Natural History in the Age of Revolutions 1776–1848, on Monday 15 July 2024 at the Linnean Society.
