Nicolas Baudin’s ships, Géographe and Naturaliste, embarked from Le Havre in October 1800 for the southern continent carrying an impressive contingent of scientists and scientific assistants. Lavishly funded by Napoleon Bonaparte, the expedition charted coastlines, recorded encounters with Indigenous peoples and advanced the natural sciences. The ships returned to France with over 100,000 specimens and a collection of 1500 original drawings and paintings .
This app brings to life five of the paintings created during and shortly after the voyage . Look out for the eye icon in the exhibition and point your camera at the creature in the artwork, or point it at the Spotfin porcupinefish on a postcard or back cover of the catalogue.