Ubi Bene

Michael Boym  Flora Sinensis 1656 Vienna  City and Stat Library of Augsburg.

1) Ethnobotanic plants

2) Ethnobotanic plants

3) Butterflies

4) Locusts

5) Birds and fish

6)  Birds and fish

The Florentine Codex (circa 1540 and 1585) — the name of 12 illuminated books of Aztec codices, created in the Viceroyalty of New Spain (colonial México). Contributors featured Aztec survivors of the 1520s Spanish conquest, under the direction of historian and missionary Bernardino de Sahagún.

From the Digital Edition of the Florentine Codex created by Gary Francisco Keller. Images are taken from Fray Bernadino de Sahagún, The Florentine Codex ( between 1540-1585 ) . Complete digital facsimile edition on 16 DVDs. Tempe, Arizona: Bilingual Press, 2008. Reproduced with permission from Arizona State University Hispanic Research Center.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported

It’s Leo season! 

The lion is described as proud, determined, loyal, and generous… but also bossy and self-centered. Does that describe you? Be honest!

Pair of Busts of Silenos

1st century BCE/1st century CE

Roman

“These part-human, part-goat silenoi (sing. silenus) represented the hedonistic desires of mankind released by the magical elixir of the wine god Dionysos. Each figure is made of two pieces that were cast separately and fastened together. The whites of their eyes and their teeth are silver. …These magnificent silenoi once decorated the sides of the curved headboard of an elaborate couch used by diners at the lavish banquets that were popular pastimes for members of high society.”

Apocalyptic Lamb

‘Dyson Perrins Apocalypse’, London ca. 1255-1260

Jacopo Zucchi c. 1589-1592

Greek, Attic, attributed to the Berlin Painter, Red-figure bell-krater: This theme depicts the young man  playing with his hoop and holding a cock on one side with Zeus holding a scepter on the other.  ca. 500–490 B.C. Ceramic. Paris, Louvre Museum, Department of Greek, Etruscan,  and Roman Antiquities (G 175) [Credit: © RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, NY.]

The Mammals in illustrations from nature . 

By Schreber, Johann Christian Daniel, Goldfuss, Georg August Wagner, Johann Andreas,,de -1846