Ann Arbor Times

The Toledo Museum of Art is currently hosting an exhibition titled "Rachel Ruysch: Nature into Art," featuring the works of Dutch painter Rachel Ruysch. Known for her floral still lifes, Ruysch was a prominent artist in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Her paintings often include detailed depictions of various insects and animals, which have been identified by scientists today.

This exhibition is significant as it pairs Ruysch's paintings with actual specimens of flora and fauna she depicted. The collaboration between the museum and researchers from the University of Michigan Herbarium and Museum of Zoology has resulted in dozens of specimens being displayed alongside about 50 of her paintings. These are accompanied by illustrated books and drawings from her six-decade career.

Robert Schindler, William Hutton Curator of European Art at the museum, aimed to contextualize Ruysch’s work by including these specimens within the exhibition. “There’s a lot of ground to cover, and she was really prolific,” Schindler said. “Her work is stunning, but she was highly specialized.”

Visitors can view a variety of natural history specimens rarely seen by the public. Brad Ruhfel, research collection manager for vascular plants at U-M Herbarium, noted that the museum borrowed 79 insect specimens, five amphibian and reptile specimens, and 10 plant specimens for this purpose.

Ruhfel expressed excitement about combining his interests in botany with art in his hometown museum: “Combining my botanical and natural history interests with art and my hometown museum was great.”

The exhibition also explores how disciplines such as art and science were intertwined during Ruysch's time. Megan Reddicks Pignataro from the Toledo Museum highlighted this aspect: “On the one hand, there is a desire to capture knowledge in Amsterdam at this moment.”

Ruysch’s work reflects influences from her father Frederik Ruysch’s profession as an anatomy and botany professor. This period marked significant interest in biology due to European exploration.

Schindler commented on this context: “The backdrop to her work really is the colonial context... without exploration, exploitation and colonization abroad, these species would not have come to Europe.”

The exhibition will run through July 27.