ANIMALS
Icon and Design
IN THESE TWO MANUSCRIPTS we discover diagrammatic
drawings of animals that are each held tightly in a surprising
space: a giant fish wears a ship's hull, and blackbirds fly in
formation through a mosaic of text. Baker lived in an era
when ships were built without drawn plans. Below we see
his revolutionary design for an Elizabethan warship, later
called a galleon. He studied the anatomy of fish, and from
them learned that if he designed his ship with a "cod's head
and mackerel's tail" (full bow, slim stern), it would achieve
greater speed, balance, and steerage. This drawing illustrates
Baker's theory, which in application gave strength and
advantage to the English fighting the Spanish Armada.
In contrast to the practical clarity of Baker's thought,
Knopf's drawing opposite is the personal enigmatic expression
of a mind gripped by illness. His birds stare, seemingly
looking for our attention, and to assess our next move.
MATTHEW BAKER
Master shipwright, mathematician, and author of
Fragments of Ancient English Shipwrightry (1586),
the earliest geometrically defined elevations,
plans, and sections of ships. Baker initiated
the scientific practice of naval architecture
and applied hydrodynamics, based on his
studies of fish.The fish It is likely that Baker
drew with a quill dipped in iron-
gall ink, adding washes of color
with a fine brush. Exquisite details
in this drawing include the lips of
the fish, the expression of its eye,
and the carefully observed gills,
fins, and scales.The ship The upper decks of the
ship appear curved toward us at
both ends. Baker did not intend
this. It is simply how we read his
perspective. In just one drawing he
has displayed more angles of his
design than we would expect to
see from a single viewpointFragments of Ancient
English Shipwrightry
1586
101 / 2 x 15^3 / 8 in
(270 x 390 mm)
MATTHEW BAKER