1560 Gesner Bird of Paradise myth
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1560 Gesner Bird of Paradise myth
Woodcut from Gesner " Icones Animalium", publ. Christof Froschover, Zurich (1560). When Magellans ship returned as the first to sail around the world in 1522, it brought back skins of the lesser bird of Paradise, Paradisaea minor. They were a gift from the Sultan of Batjan of the Moluccas, and had been traded to the Sultan from an unknown terra australis (Papua New Guinea). The birds caused a European sensation, not least because they had no bones and no legs. We now know this is the common local way of preserving these birds for trade. But naturalists of the time claimed they do all their business in flight. Named manucodiata the bird of the gods, reportedly derived from the Malay manute-dewata. Gesner states the people of the Mollucca islands bear witness that this very beautiful bird, which never sits upon the earth or any other thing, is born in Paradise
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Media ID 6347849
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16th Century Animalium Bestiary Bird Of Paradise Colour Conrad Early Fantasy Folk Lore Gesner Gessner Heaven Historiae Icones Minor Mistake Myth Natural History Wood Cut Wrong Lesser Magellan Paradisaea
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print takes us back to the 16th century, a time when European naturalists were enthralled by the exotic wonders of the world. The image depicts a woodcut from Conrad Gesner's "Icones Animalium" published in Zurich in 1560. It showcases the mythical bird of paradise, Paradisaea minor. The story behind this illustration is as intriguing as the bird itself. In 1522, Ferdinand Magellan's ship returned from its historic circumnavigation of the globe with skins of these lesser birds of paradise. A gift from the Sultan of Batjan, they had originated from an unknown land called terra australis (now Papua New Guinea). The arrival of these creatures caused quite a stir among Europeans due to their peculiar characteristics - no bones and no legs. At that time, it was believed that these magnificent birds conducted all their affairs while airborne. Named manucodiata or "bird of the gods" by Gesner himself, derived from Malay folklore (manute-dewata), it was thought that they never touched earthly surfaces but instead resided solely in Paradise. Today we know that this misconception arose because locals preserved these birds for trade by removing their legs and wings before drying them out. Nevertheless, this woodcut serves as a testament to humanity's fascination with nature and our enduring quest for knowledge about distant lands and their extraordinary inhabitants.
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