Naturgeschichte der Saugetiere fur Schule und Haus (Natural History of Mammals for School and House)

Gorgeously illustrated 19th century reference book showing various mammalian taxonomy groups.

Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert was a German naturalist who battled with the same questions posed by many thinkers of the Enlightenment – mainly, how to reconcile God and Nature. He saw science as a necessary part of human development, and attempted to incorporate his scientific and religious beliefs into a quasi-naturalist ideology that included tenants like clairvoyance and animal magnetism.

This book is a reflection of that pseudo-scientific attitude that was common in the late 19th century, with gross distortions apparent on many of the animals depicted. This type of thinking was also associated with racial superiority based on phony medical research and racial classifications, clearly evident on the image showing people of different nations.