The is one of the 18th century’s greatest natural history achievements and remains . Though scientists of his era often collected natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdam-based pharmacist (1665–1736) was unrivalled in his passion. His amazing collection of animals, plants and insects from all around the world gained international fame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba commissioned careful and often scenic illustrations of every specimen. With these meticulous drawings, he arranged for the publication of a four-volume catalog, covering the entire collection from as well as This reproduction is taken from . The introduction supplies background information about the fascinating tradition of natural collections to which Seba’s curiosities belonged.