Historia naturalis ranarum nostratium (Natural History of Frogs)

Rösel von Rosenhof’s natural history of frogs is a fun find in The Bakken Museum’s collections. Its vibrant illustrations offer color as we enter winter in Minnesota, right when we could all use a bit more vibrance.

Historia naturalis ranarum nostratium provides an exhaustive look into the lives of frogs native to Germany in 1758. The twenty-four large, copper engravings show frog and toad habitats, anatomy, reproductive behavior, and development stages. The piece was an essential milestone for natural history books because of its thorough detail. Rösel von Rosenhof helped pave the way for future works of natural history to include a comprehensive look at their subject, which deepened our understanding of the natural world.

Beyond being a valuable research tool, this book is also a work of art. The book is easily one of the most beautiful pieces in The Bakken’s collections. In fact, it’s generally considered one of the most beautifully illustrated books in the early modern period. Much love and care went into hand-coloring these illustrations, and sometimes, it’s just nice to stop and take them in.

Author: August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof
Date: 1758