A publication without precedent, this lavishly produced, oversized collector's edition showcases an exceptional collection of vibrant natural history painting and illustration dating from 1600 to 1900, preserved at the National Natural History Museum of France. A veritable treasure trove of over 300 years of scientific inquiry, yet it is also an unparalleled collection of some of the most beautiful depictions ever produced of the world's flora and fauna. Sadly, many of the plants and animals depicted in these lovely yet scientifically accurate portraits are now endangered or threatened - and in some cases, already extinct. This handsome book is thus both a celebration of the artful beauty of the museum's famed collection and also an epitaph for a lost world.