The article discusses the collaboration between the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, resulting in the exhibition 'Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World.' This exhibition features nearly 75 prints, drawings, and paintings alongside 60 natural history objects, showcasing how art and science intersected during the 16th and 17th centuries. Artists documented newly discovered species in profound detail, leading to significant advancements in natural history studies. The popularity of Wunderkammers also points to a cultural fascination with the natural world, influencing both the scientific community and artists for centuries.
"In major cities like Antwerp, artists such as Joris and Jacob Hoefnagel and Jan van Kessel created highly detailed drawings, prints, and paintings of these insects, animals, and other beestjes, or 'little beasts' in Dutch."
"Natural history has been a focus for scholars since ancient times, albeit early commentary was a bit more wide-ranging than its definition today."
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