The Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports

Botanicals and books on zoology, insect and marine life are important sources for design and ornament as coloration and patterns from the natural world inspire artists and designers in many ways. The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library has a great collection of such resources available for study. The Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports was published as monthly issues and contains entries on the natural history of various species in America, as well as accounts of hunting expeditions. Volume 2 (1832) contains the original plates by Thomas Doughty, famous painter and founding father of the Hudson River School, and his brother John. A variety of artists, engravers, and etchers contributed to creation of this Cabinet of natural history. The colored prints are important as they are some of the earliest American books printed with full, hand-colored lithographs. The illustrations are considered the first colored sporting prints made in America. The text discusses individual mammals, birds, and fishes, natural history, sporting accounts, and American travel narratives. This title is part of the legacy collection of the library of museum co-founder Sarah Cooper Hewitt presented in memory of her father Abram S. Hewitt and her sister Eleanor Garnier Hewitt.