Images of an exhibition frozen in time. Taxidermy in the San Rafael’s Seminary Museum of Valparaíso (MSV).

Abstract

The San Rafael´s Seminary at Valparaíso owns one of the most complete collections found in a school museum in Chile. Its varied collection, which emphasizes Natural History—includes biological, fossil, mineral specimens, and scientific instruments— where the taxidermy stand out. The collection, in exhibition since 1881 is the second oldest exhibition in the country with more than 650 mounted specimens. The exotic specimens came mostly from the Commercial House Émile Deyrolle in Paris, which sells didactic objects of Natural History to this day from all over the world. The following research has as an objective to show through photography the most ancient taxidermy in the San Rafael Seminary Museum (MSV). In this study, a comparative analysis of images along with all available historical documents has been assessed. In this regard, photography has played an essential role allowing to identify and characterize specimens as well as tracking down the origin of these collections.