The geometric shapes and natural forms, captured with exceptional precision in Ernst Haeckel's prints, still influence artists and designers to this day. This volume highlights the research and findings of this natural scientist. Powerful modern microscopes have confirmed the accuracy of Haeckel's prints, which even in their day, became world famous. Haeckel's portfolio, first published between 1899 and 1904 in separate installments, is described in the opening essays. The plates illustrate Haeckel's fundamental monistic notion of the "unity of all living things" and the wide variety of forms are executed with utmost delicacy. Incipient microscopic organisms are juxtaposed with highly developed plants and animals. The pages, ordered according to geometric and "constructive" aspects, document the oness of the world in its most diversified forms. This collection of plates was not only well-received by scientists, but by artists and architects as well. Rene Binet, a pioneer of glass and iron constructions, Emile Galle, a renowned Art Nouveau designer, and the photographer Karl Blossfeld all make explicit reference to Haeckel in their work.
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Every biology student knows Ernst Haeckel as the originator of the "Biogenetic Law": ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. Haeckel was a passionate student of the evolutionary shaping of biological forms, and Art Forms in Nature captures both his artistic sensibility and the scientific rigor he applied to all his studies. First published in 1904, Art Forms in Nature is a glorification of function and form, a demonstration of organic symmetry that has nothing--and everything--to do with nature as it actually exists. Each plate exhibits organisms carefully arranged and exquisitely detailed, "a symbiosis between decorative sketches and descriptive observations of nature," as Olaf Breidbach states in his fascinating introductory text. The radiolarians, medusae, rotifers, bryozoans, and even frogs and turtles lovingly recreated here are gorgeous and self-explanatory, rendered in delicate, filigreed lines, and colored gently with muted green, delicate pink, and sepia. Art students will appreciate the designs found in nature--scientists will love the evolutionary statement of form inherent in the beauty. --Therese Littleton
Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German
Original Language: German
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
227 of 231 people found the following review helpful
By C. Toledo
Format:Paperback
|
Length:
3:36
Mins
Video shows the size of the book, flipping through a lot of the plates and rambling.
61 of 62 people found the following review helpful
By Danny Mauer
Format:Paperback
The illustrations are awesome, there's a universe of beautiful complex lifeforms that are too small for us to see. The illustrations are all in color, unlike other versions of Ernst Haeckel's prints, and it also has lots of text in the front about Ernst Haeckel's work, an autobiographic timeline in the back etc... Unbelievable art
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By Phoenicia
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is such a lovely book, I just HAD to let all you readers know. I didn't know anything about Haeckel (never even heard of the man.....), when I ordered this book. I just loved his drawing of the Medusa on the cover, and couldn't resist buying it, and boy, am I glad that I did..... There is such a quiet beauty in these plates.
The book is also published by Dover (see my review there), without any accompanying text (apart from a short publishers's note), and with all the plates printed in black and white.
In this book, many of the plates are printed 'in color' (either different hues of one color, or a color scheme based on two colors). The book also has a highly informative article on Haeckel and his times, and on those that were influenced by him.
I find it very hard to explain what exactly makes these plates so wonderfully beautiful. It is partly the symmetry of their composition, and the way in which they render the beauty of nature. The article in the book itself describes it very well:
"What is it that Haeckel depicts here that is so beautiful? It is the beauty of ornament. The forms illustrated in these pages seem to fit seamlessly into the repertoire of Art Nouveau forms. [........] Haeckel's approach did not determine Art Nouveau, instead Art Nouveau's approach determined Haeckel's. What ensued was a symbiosis between decorative sketches and descriptive observations of nature [...]."
If you are looking for a book on Haeckel and his plates, get this one!
The book is also published by Dover (see my review there), without any accompanying text (apart from a short publishers's note), and with all the plates printed in black and white.
In this book, many of the plates are printed 'in color' (either different hues of one color, or a color scheme based on two colors). The book also has a highly informative article on Haeckel and his times, and on those that were influenced by him.
I find it very hard to explain what exactly makes these plates so wonderfully beautiful. It is partly the symmetry of their composition, and the way in which they render the beauty of nature. The article in the book itself describes it very well:
"What is it that Haeckel depicts here that is so beautiful? It is the beauty of ornament. The forms illustrated in these pages seem to fit seamlessly into the repertoire of Art Nouveau forms. [........] Haeckel's approach did not determine Art Nouveau, instead Art Nouveau's approach determined Haeckel's. What ensued was a symbiosis between decorative sketches and descriptive observations of nature [...]."
If you are looking for a book on Haeckel and his plates, get this one!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By M. Sundstrom
Format:Paperback
This a a lovely book, though a bit on the lean side. It's a good sampler of Haeckel's work, the printing is well done with thick pages and a non gloss finish. Great for the coffee table or reference.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Just recieved this book today amongst about 12 other art books and I can't yet put it down. Made my best friend cry the images are so beautiful. Many unique plates to study, each a stunning masterpiece.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Christine
Format:Paperback
I'm not kidding when I say this book has changed my life. Visually stunning, unimaginably beautiful.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By D K
Format:Paperback
...As others have reviewed the images, this review is about the physical characteristics.
...The quality, in the Prestel edition, is good enough for framing if you want to take the book apart. It is printed in Germany on acid free paper, of decent weight, unlike the Dover edition,which has no color plates.
...The quality, in the Prestel edition, is good enough for framing if you want to take the book apart. It is printed in Germany on acid free paper, of decent weight, unlike the Dover edition,which has no color plates.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By PaxSix
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ernst Haeckel's illustrations are the epitome of 19th century scientific drawing. The drawings are meticulously detailed and show of the symmetry and geometry of natural forms. The plates of large organisms such as reptiles have a quaint, old-fashioned look, often bordering on ugly - yet interesting! The bulk of my affections goes to the plates of radiolarians and other symmetrical microorganisms: here Haeckel is in his element, revealing the geometric beauty of organisms that we rarely see in life as they are too small or live underwater. They are inspiring for designing patterns and scuptural forms: get this book if you are interested in biology, art history or design!
The plates are well printed, reproducing colour and detail well, while the size is big enough to see the details clearly, while small enough to have a book that can be handled and browsed comfortably.
The plates are well printed, reproducing colour and detail well, while the size is big enough to see the details clearly, while small enough to have a book that can be handled and browsed comfortably.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
loved it!!
Bought this book for inspiration in my drawings and jewelry designing and it definitely got my creative juices flowing. Very detailed and simply illustrated. I loved it!
Published 1 month ago by DW
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic book....
immagini bellissime, disegni fantastici! Lo consiglio davvero... tra l'altro non mi aspettavo x l'edizione economica un formato così grande che fa apprezzare ancora di... Read more
Published 2 months ago by andrea FALSETTI
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
Really cool book and well printed, with detail and nice colours.It arrived fast too. Just like described in the posting.
Published 2 months ago by marcella
5.0 out of 5 stars
My muse
I saw this book in Powell's City of Books in Portland OR (FYI you should go there, also Voodoo Donuts). Read more
Published 3 months ago by Melanie
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautiful
The book is beautiful! I took a couple of prints and framed them and am using the rest of the book as a coffee table book. I have also used some of the pictures for card making.
Published 3 months ago by Liz
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, but not awesome
I am a fan of Haeckel's artwork because 1) I am a paleontologist and I like his drawings of fossils, and 2) I like drawing and his art is great for references and inspiration. Read more
Published 6 months ago by EndlessForms
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply exquisite!!!
The drawings are inspiring and full of details.
As I said in another review of a book of the same author (Ernst Haeckel), I recommend buy the other book too (Art forms from... Read more
As I said in another review of a book of the same author (Ernst Haeckel), I recommend buy the other book too (Art forms from... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Freddy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gorgeous
This is honestly a gorgeous book with beautiful pictures. You can look through it over and over again and never get tired of the detailed images. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Lyla
3.0 out of 5 stars
awesome, but is this the full book?
Right now i am giving this 3 stars. I may up that to 4 stars with more information
1. Ernst Haeckel. Great stuff, fascinating, awesome pictures. Read more
1. Ernst Haeckel. Great stuff, fascinating, awesome pictures. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Nipsey Russell
5.0 out of 5 stars
The preeminent Haeckel collection
I am absolutely amazed by both the quality and content of this gorgeous book. Art Forms in Nature contains 100 pages of Haeckel's art of radiolaria, algae, and a few other plants... Read more
Published 12 months ago by C.N.
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