Pictures printed in books published before the development of chemical photography, in the 1820s, were so much more significant than those printed today. In these pre-photographical times, pictures were essential for the recording and sharing of knowledge, whether scientific, geographical or cultural.

Because many pictures served the same purpose that photographs do today, they had to at least appear accurate. Pictures were, therefore, drawn with an astounding level of detail, which makes them a pleasure to behold to this day.

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