Judith Magee Book order

Each book presented here has been chosen for its scientific and artistic merit, and each one is accompanied by an essay from a museum expert, explaining its role in the development of natural history. The books featured include the oldest book in the Library, the 1469 edition of Pliny the Elder's Historia Naturalis; Albertus Seba's striking Locupletissimi Rerum published from 1734; Mark Catesby's The History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, the first published account of the flora and fauna of this area, and the stunning line drawings from Napoleon's expedition to Egypt in 1798. The Library of the Natural History Museum contains one of the most exciting and comprehensive collections of natural history literature and artworks to be found anywhere in the world.

This evocative collection of natural history drawings, produced over a period of more than two hundred and fifty years, captures the rich variety of animals, birds and insects to be found in India and the magnificent flora of the different regions.

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.

Draws on the collections of the Library of the Natural History Museum to illustrate the development of natural history art through the centuries and its crucial role in furthering people's appreciation of nature around the world.

Exploring the American Southeast between 1773 and 1777, William Bartram's passion for nature led him to document his findings through drawings and writings. This collection features all sixty-eight of his illustrations held at London's Natural History Museum, alongside works by notable natural history artists from the era. Bartram's influence extended to young scientists and poets, shaping American science and literature. His insights into the region's ecology and indigenous cultures reveal a profound understanding that predated modern ecological thought.