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The Arts Intel Report

Painting by Numbers

Apr 9, 2020 – Sept 13, 2021
Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

The Austrian botanical illustrator Ferdinand Bauer (1726–1826) was famous for his technically immaculate drawings. At the dawn of the 17th century he traveled to Asia Minor, Greece, and Australia, where he dissected specimens and documented the intricacies of countless indigenous plant and animal species. Bauer’s colleagues and companions marveled at his tireless and meticulous precision. In a virtual exhibition of never-before-seen works, 300 of these scientific drawings are on display. They mark the intersection of art and science, and include Bauer’s renowned color-coding practice. —E.C.

Ferdinand Bauer, “Mandragora Officinarum (Mandrake).” Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales.

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