“A Very Pronounced Taste for Natural History”: M.&E. Natté’s Hummingbird Fans between Art and Science

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to discuss the relationship between zoological artifacts and the popularization of scientific discourse based on fixed fans decorated with stuffed hummingbirds, produced by the company M.&E. Natté, in Rio de Janeiro during the second half of the 19th century. Their fans often present the hummingbird in a narrative scene, interacting with a fragment of nature. I argue that these artifacts, more than other zoological products, convey current scientific concepts at the time, as well as the concern of M.&E. Natté in projecting an image linked to natural history.

KEYWORDS:
Natural History; M.&E; Natté; Feather Art; Scientific Illustration