Right page of an open book featuring an illustration of a boy in a red tunic who has untrimmed nails and unwashed hair with German text above his head that reads: Der Stuwwelpeter.

Lustige Geschichten und Drollige Bilder

An illustration depicting a two-headed giant deviously entering the darkened room of a sleeping child through a wooden door. A second child hides behind the curtain of the sleeping child

“Jack the Giant-Killer” illustration by Arthur Rackham

Cover of a vibrant pink leatherbound book with raised embossing and a white oval in the center with an illustration of birds and French text that reads: Les Oiseaux.

Musée des dames et des demoiselles (Museum of women and girls)
Paris: Chez Marcilly Ainé, 1825
Rare Book Division

Musée des dames et des demoiselles (Museum of women and girls)

During the 19th century, the study of natural science was in vogue among the middle classes of Europe and America, as well as in museums. Book publishers were quick to cash in on this emerging market, issuing books and periodicals for general audiences that covered the scientific discoveries and expeditions of the day.

The volumes shown here, printed in France and aimed at young women and girls, reflect this publishing trend. Featuring charming hand-colored plates, the booklets’ texts address the collecting, cataloging, and arranging of natural specimens such as flowers, fruits, and butterflies—pursuits that would have been deemed not only instructive but also socially appropriate for female readers of that era.

Holding Division: Rare Book Division

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