The Origins of the World

The 19th century saw an unprecedented development of the natural sciences. Darwinian theory questions the origins of man, his place in Nature, his links with animals and his own animality in a world now understood as an ecosystem. This upheaval in the sciences, as well as the public debates throughout the century, deeply influenced the artists. The Musee d'Orsay and the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal are devoting an exhibition to the intersection of science and the arts for the first time, in partnership with the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, which will retrace the themes of this questioning and will confront the main milestones of scientific discoveries with their parallel in the art. AUTHOR: Laura Bossi, born in Milan (Italy), is a neurologist, science historian and Exhibition general curator. She is the author of many scientific publications mainly in the areas of epilepsy and neurodegenerative disorders. In the past few years, she has been increasingly involved in the history of ideas. Her book Histoire naturelle de l'ame (Presses Universitaires de France, 2003) has been translated into Italian and Spanish. SELLING POINTS: . At the crossroads of science and art, this catalogue compares the main milestones of scientific discoveries with their parallels in the collective imagination . Featuring 300 works which testify on the influence of scientific discoveries on the imagination and art of the 19th century 300 colour illustrations