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19th Century Biologist’s Illustrations of Microbes Bring Art and Science Together
19th Century Biologist’s Illustrations of Microbes Bring Art and Science Together
Ernst Haeckel was born in a time when art and science were entwined,
each informing the other through exciting discoveries in the 19th and
early-20th centuries. A biologist, naturalist, philosopher, and artist,
Haeckel's gorgeous drawings helped introduce to the world to microscopic
organisms previously unseen.
German book publisher Taschen has reprinted his incredible drawings in an a new art book, The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel,
presenting how he promoted Charles Darwin's theories of evolution at a
time when the ideas were under attack. Born in Germany in 1834, Haeckel
“spent his life researching flora and fauna from the highest
mountaintops to the deepest ocean.”
Over his lifetime, he published numerous books filled
with lush scientific drawings that merged the worlds of art and
science. From fantastical renderings of microscopic creatures to a view
of a jellyfish that is similar to an architectural blueprint, Haeckel's
work has left a lasting legacy both in the scientific and artistic
worlds. Contemporary artists like Rogan Brown continue to be influenced by his detailed renderings even today.
Taschen's collection of 450 plates pulls together Haeckel's best
illustrations across his numerous publications, including the
groundbreaking 1899 work, Art Forms of Nature. Here Haeckel
emphasized organization and symmetry in this collection of illustrations
composed for maximum visual impact. He was perhaps the first to deeply
understand that nature is the ultimate artist, his drawings evidence—and
inspiration—for centuries to come.
