Worlds within Worlds: Portraying Nature as Microcosms @mfaboston

Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

Visually compelling depictions of flora and fauna by Rachel Ruysch and her contemporaries not only demonstrate virtuosic artistic talents, they also reflect the early modern notion of microcosm, a “little world” encapsulating the characteristics of its larger counterparts. Weaving together diverse portrayals of nature, the invention and development of the microscope, and the practice of collecting natural specimens, explore fascinating intersections between art and science in the Dutch Republic during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Jessie Park, Nina and Lee Griggs Assistant Curator of European Art, Yale University Art Gallery

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

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