Have you seen a work of art containing an aquatic animal?
Take part in the BiodivAquArt project and support research by sharing it here!
All you have to do is create an account, then publish a work: share the photo, and fill in a few details about the published work. Explore and comment on the other contributions in the gallery.
Presentation of the project
The Aquatic Biodiversity in Art (BiodivAquArt) project is a study in historical ecology, aimed at gaining a better understanding of aquatic ecosystems in the past. To do this, we are using works of art as sources of information and evidence about aquatic fauna.
In particular, we are studying European paintings from the modern period (16th-18th centuries), and Roman mosaics (dating from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD). Through their works, artists have left us evidence of the way in which aquatic animals were perceived, caught, transported, sold and consumed.
This information is analysed using the statistical tools of ecology. By cross-referencing these data with historical and archaeological studies, these paintings provide information on the long-term evolution of aquatic socio-ecosystems in Europe and the Mediterranean basin.
Lastly, they provide information on their baseline condition (the 'natural' state of the environment, before degradation).
Participate in the project
In order to refine and enrich our analyses, we need to collect a large number of works of art. So if you come across any works of art while visiting a museum or gallery, you can post them on this site and become a contributor to our research.
These works must contain aquatic fauna (fish, molluscs, crustaceans, etc.) and we need to know the name of the author, the geographical origin and period of the work, as well as the place where it is kept.
Although our project is currently focused on the modern and Roman periods, we are interested in all periods and all types of artwork. In fact, each work published here can help us to extend the period studied and establish comparative elements.
What photos am I allowed to share here?
All photos of which you are the author: when you photograph a work of art, you are free to share it on the Internet.
Royalty-free photos: under CC-0 and CC-BY licences.