Plate LXIX [Five eels with plants]

Seba, Albertus, 1665-1736 · 1734

From the collection and preservation of the specimen to the publication of the volume, the production of Seba's Thesarus was an endeavor of art blended with science. It was a fantasy cabinet of curiosities for wealthy subscribers, as well as one of the most important observational studies in the history of the biological sciences. Seba's five eels, accompanied by six plants, are positioned for aesthetic effect in unnatural coils to show both the dorsal and ventral patterns.