Early modern animals in the Low Countries (book excerpt)
This is a preview from the collection Vroegmoderne dieren in de Nederlanden
Judith Brouwer is a historian and data manager at the Huygens Institute and the Meertens Institute. As an expert in digital historical sources, her great curiosity means she regularly delves into the sources herself. In doing so, she sometimes uncovers hidden historical gems about people and groups that had previously been overlooked. For Leuven University Press, Judith Brouwer and djoeke van Netten (University of Amsterdam) edited the collection Vroegmoderne dieren in de Nederlanden (Dutch only). The collection includes a contribution by Jim van der Meulen, a senior researcher at the Huygens Institute. What do we know about our non-human neighbours, colleagues, family members and housemates from the past?
Image: Two children with a cat, Judith Leyster, c. 1630. Collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Sketches of Hans and Parkie, two Indian elephants from Ceylon, Petrus Camper, c. 1786. Collection of the Rijksmuseum.
18th-century drawing of a polar bear by George Edwards. Image: The Trustees of the British Museum.
Reclining lion with a claw on its nose, school of Rembrandt van Rijn, 1640-1650. Collection of the Rijksmuseum.
An excerpt from the introduction can be found on the Dutch version of this webpage.
Read more in Vroegmoderne dieren in de Nederlanden
The excerpt is a slightly edited section from the introduction, written by Judith Brouwer (Huygens Institute, Meertens Institute), Marjo van Koppen (Meertens Institute) and Djoeke van Netten (University of Amsterdam). The book is published by Leuven University Press. Tip: this is the perfect gift for someone who loves animals and history. You can order it here and through all regular booksellers.
