Fishes VII
1885-1890
Frederick McCoy wasn't just capturing a fish here; he was building a biological blueprint for the scientific world. In this late 19th-century plate, a sleek, silver-green fish swims upward, surrounded by floating 'exploded views' of its fins, scales, and anatomical details. Before photography could do the heavy lifting, naturalists relied on these meticulous hand-colored illustrations to classify species, turning art into essential data. It’s a beautiful reminder of an era when science and illustration were inseparable partners in discovery.
- Technique
- Hand-colored lithograph
- Material
- Paper
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