Fishes VIII
1885-1890
This striking 19th-century scientific illustration showcases a sleek, silver-scaled fish rendered with meticulous detail, surrounded by various anatomical diagrams like enlarged scales and fin structures that act as a visual dissection. Created by Frederick McCoy during his extensive work cataloging fauna, pieces like this served as the 'high-resolution photos' of their day, helping scientists classify species across the globe long before color photography existed. The vibrant yellow fins and precise scale patterns reveal a dedication to both beauty and biological accuracy, turning what could have been a dry scientific record into a captivating piece of natural history art.
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