The Feather Book
July 20, 2006 2:27 PM   Subscribe

The Feather Book, digitized by and on display at McGill University: A seventeenth-century book containing illustrations of birds and men -- composed of real feathers, beaks, and claws. More information about the book and its contents and history can be read here.
posted by Gator (14 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Birds, men and pooping dogs, I see. The artistry and craftsmanship are most admirable, but some of the subject matter leaves something to be desired.
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:31 PM on July 20, 2006


[this is really cool]
posted by interrobang at 2:36 PM on July 20, 2006


Gator, Fascinating post. Thank you. It's poignant to see images made of feathers. Of course I can't help thinking of the loss for the birds involved. It's also very interesting to see Italian folk art from Milan in 1618.

It reminds me of African butterfly wing art, more.
posted by nickyskye at 2:47 PM on July 20, 2006


this is amazing stuff, thanks! it got me to poking around about commedia dell'arte - there's some interesting background to the feather illustrations of the characters.
posted by cubby at 2:56 PM on July 20, 2006


What an idea, and what an execution.
posted by redsparkler at 3:31 PM on July 20, 2006


Really fascinating, but it kind of squicks me out. Ew. It's like those victorian pieces of hair art. Eeewww.
posted by GuyZero at 3:32 PM on July 20, 2006


Its only a matter of time until Damien Hurst does it with bits of human, so move fast is what I say...Can I donate my auntie?
posted by terrymiles at 3:37 PM on July 20, 2006


Fascinating stuff. It reminds me of the Derbyshire tradition of well dressing.
posted by bokeh at 5:05 PM on July 20, 2006


cubby, Thanks for the excellent, concise background on Commedia del'Arte. Immediately, I thought of Shakespeare's plays and now understand that must have been his background. Googled it now my appetite is whetted, a bit more and Wikipedia's info.
posted by nickyskye at 5:32 PM on July 20, 2006


Lovely, reminds me of bug art.
posted by jessamyn at 6:22 PM on July 20, 2006


jessamyn, That bug art is amazing!

Some geometric feather art.
posted by nickyskye at 8:18 PM on July 20, 2006


Feather fashion: Captain Cook’s Hawaiian Feather Cloak, 20,000 birds later.
posted by cenoxo at 8:45 PM on July 20, 2006


cenoxo, Wowee zowee, that was amazing. Here's a peach flame one from Hawaii and a contemporary feather cloak.

A Maori warrior in his. A young Maori woman in hers.

A feather frock.
posted by nickyskye at 9:27 PM on July 20, 2006


Very very cool, thank you.
posted by Lizc at 6:56 AM on July 21, 2006


« Older Suit Goes Forward, at Least for Now   |   It's about the egg, stupid. Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments