Hi, 12/22/2008 with apologies for cross-posting
I have just seen an advance copy of a new documentary film -- "The Curious
Mister Catesby" -- and thought everyone with an interest in Southern
history and culture would want to know about it.
The film is about the naturalist-artist, Mark Catesby, who--long before
Audubon--was exploring America and documenting American birds and
plants in the gorgeous hand-colored engravings of his "Natural
History of Carolina, Florida and The Bahama Islands." His title
doesn't capture the full range of Catesby's collecting
expeditions--from the coast to the Appalachians, in Virginia, South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the Caribbean--and specimens from
colleagues even farther afield.
When 18th century Europeans and Americans talked about North American
wildlife, it was Catesby's images they had in their mind's eye.
Jefferson studied his copy with care.
The film makes it clear that Catesby's story is of international
historical significance, but the documentary is also very much rooted
in the producers' local knowledge of South Carolina and the South
generally.
A good section of film is devoted to the complex publication history
of Catesby's book--with many splendid shots of the Smithsonian's copy
and his original drawings, which were re-discovered in Windsor Castle
just a decade ago.
I've got my own scholarly and curatorial reasons for finding the film
absorbing:
Linnaeus and Pehr Kalm, the heroes of my exhibition at the NJ State Museum,
had both met and learned much from Catesby. But the documentary is
such an engaging combination of history, art, science, and natural
history footage that I think anyone who is interested in Southern
history, colonial America, birds (including the first illustration of
the near-extinct Ivory-Billed Woodpecker), Native Americans,
medicinal plants, exploration, nature, or the environment would be
excited by it.
I am sure it would be good for classes, public programs, public
libraries--and tourist offices (certainly made me want to come South).
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 South Carolina
public television and 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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