Sponsored by the Office for History of Science and Technology (UC Berkeley)
And the History of Health Sciences Program (UCSF)
Chandra Mukerji
University of California, San Diego
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The Botanical Imagery of Samuel de Champlain: French Botanical Collection, Religious Doctrine, and the Plants of Canada
The 1612 map of New France by Samuel de Champlain has an ornate border containing botanical illustrations drawn in the style of herbals. While many scholars have been interested in the bodies of natives also represented on this map, few have cared about the plants. But they point to important cultural and political movements of the period that seem to have shaped Champlain's explorations. Botanical imagery was frequently associated in early 17th century France with mesnagement politics, and Huguenot thinking about Creation and stewardship. Champlain's use of these plant portraits suggests he believed in the politics of stewardship, if not the reformed religion itself. This would explain his interest in botanical collection and horticulture for the colonies, and his efforts in his notebooks to document native horticultural practices in detail.
4:00PM
Monday, April 30, 2007
140 Barrows Hall
UC Berkeley
Co-Sponsored by the Canadian Studies Program
Office for History of Science and Technology, 543 Stephens Hall #2350
University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-2350
tel: (510) 642-4581, e-mail: ohst@berkeley.edu
