Between spectacle and science: seal exhibitions and the travels of a sailor in the mid-19th century
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30827/dynamis.v44i2.31693Keywords:
traveling exhibitions, 19th century, sea Animals, history of science, objects in movement.Abstract
This article examines the traveling seal exhibitions in the mid-19th century as part of the culture of curiosity of that time and as nodes for encou- nters and exchanges of knowledge between different actors. These places, mo- re usually associated with fairs and popular culture, have been little studied by historians of science but can be considered as sites of sociability and scientific observation. As this paper reveals, they were visited by naturalists to study the animals and talk to their keepers. Sailors and fishermen participated in the exhi- bition of seals and other strange creatures to urban societies, bringing samples from the marine world or remote regions to ports. They were often interviewed by zoologists to complete descriptions of the habitat, feeding, and behavior of the animals. An example of these interactions was the display of a live sea lion from Cape Horn, exhibited by a French sailor in Buenos Aires, Paris, and London
between 1862 and 1867. In the last two cities, it was the first observation of this type of animal, whose scientific classification was problematic and had been un- der debate for some time. This traveling exhibition allowed scientific inspection of the sea lion by different naturalists and the exchange of opinions on its ge- nus, species, and affinities with other marine mammals. The article argues that these unconventional spaces in the history of science can be considered as sites of cognitive consequence, forming a part of circuits of mobilization and the ex- change of ideas and things. Their study illustrates how diverse agents, activities, and sources of knowledge were interrelated in the practices of science.
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