David Bainbridge (1) (1968–)

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
This is a stunning book for art and nature lovers alike. Chronicling the art and science of classifying the natural world from the religiosity of medieval times, the naturalist enlightenment period, the evolution theories of the nineteenth century, and culminating in modern computer-empowered classification. This books is the equivalent of visiting a museum where entries are extremely beautiful art pieces and illustrations curated by a thorough researcher.… (meer)

Medical illustration, animals, and astonishing art, all beautifully and enthusiastically presented by a professor of veterinary anatomy at Cambridge University... I was hooked in an instant. In his perfectly lovely, accessible book, David Bainbridge looks at the history of veterinary "illustration" with the eye of both a scientist and an artist. Who wouldn't want to learn animal anatomy from a professor who uses Durer's winsome greyhound drawing as a model (https://www.rct.uk/collection/912177/a-greyhound)? From ancient stone models of lamb livers (to describe the meanings of entrail readings known as hepatoscopy), a highly stylized 15th century Islamic diagram of a "spatchcocked" horse, through Leonardo's brilliant sketches and Durer's sweet ox muzzle, to breathtakingly delicate renderings of a rattlesnake's interior and paintings of ocular structures that could have been done by Klee or Kandinsky, this is anatomy as we don't normally think about it. Bainbridge's commentary is unfailingly illuminating, witty, and knowledgeable, sprinkled with practical asides. He notes, in relation to a careful drawing of the muscles of a horse's head, that the muscles around the eye are "extravagantly developed... even a strong man cannot open a horse's eye if it does not wish him to." Spoken like a man who has tried, but who will absolutely open your eyes to the wonders of these works of art.… (meer)

How Zoologists Organize Things: The Art of Classification by David Bainbridge is a beautiful and fascinating look at the evolution of both science and art through history. Namely, through the lens of classification we see how the science has changed and how the visual presentation of that science, the art, has changed.

I first flipped, electronically, through the book, looking at the many images and reading a few little snippets. I intended to then set it aside, finish another couple of books I was reading, then come back to read it. Well, I ended up immediately starting it after going through it and fit it in with my other reading. The writing itself was adequate, maybe a little dry at times, but not overly so. The material, however, more than kept my interest and even the few times when I thought the writing was dry I never lost interest.

But to be honest I think the real value of the book is in the wealth of images. The text is absolutely necessary to contextualize everything and tell the story, but the pictures are what most readers will remember. I kept taking my tablet into the other room to show the pictures and talk about what they represented both historically and scientifically. A physical copy of this book would no doubt be even more appealing.

I would recommend this to both the science reader as well as the casual reader of nice coffee table books or books of photographs or artwork. The information is detailed enough to be useful if you're interested in learning and the images are just wonderful to look at.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (meer)