Customer Reviews

Art Forms in Nature (Dover Pictorial Archive)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Anyone who 'knows' Dover books, will probably agree that they offer good quality for very reasonable prices. There is nothing 'wrong' with this book, except that all the plates are in black and white, and there is no information on Haeckel and his times. Prestel has also published this book of plates, with a highly informative article on Haeckel, his influences, and those influenced by him included, AND with many of the plates 'in color' (that is, often one color in different -subtle - hues, or a color scheme based on two colors). Unless you are a strictly 'black and white' person, I would advise you to look for the Prestel book.

Many patterns in nature are often overlooked. Haeckel captures the natural beauty of living creatures, presenting them in such a way as to spotlight their delicate forms. This black and white rendition of Haeckel's artwork is very impressive, adding a quality perhaps more pleasing to the modern eye than the color originals. Although no written text accompanies the plates, one still understands what the artist is conveying. Haeckel's grouping of the organisms in a very detailed, scientific manner is at the same time aesthetically pleasing to both scientists and nonscientists.

I purchased this book as a reference book for my personal library and found that my children also love it. The illustrations are stunning and helpful on both an artistic and scientific level.

I highly reccomend this book for artists and for anyone interested in nature (including children). My 10 year old lovers to try to draw the images and identify them.

This book is not for someone looking for photographic images.

Buyer Beware! Even though the cover is in color (deceptively so in my opinion), all of the images in this book are in black & white! I wish I had read the description more carefully before buying. The colors in Haeckel's images are a HUGE part of what makes them so amazing. Check out the Haeckel images at Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org) to see what I mean. Rendering them in black & white is a grotesque defacement of his work in my opinion.

I recommend a different version of this book, also sold on Amazon - link below. I am not sure if it contains the same set of illustrations, but many of the illos are in color, and it includes a CD containing all the pics from the book.

[...]

The one with the color plates is called
Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel (Monographs) (Paperback)
# ISBN-10: 3791319906
# ISBN-13: 978-3791319902
Prestel Publishing (August 1998)

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.

Depending on what you are purchasing this book for...my interest was for fiber art work which it fits the bill totally. The drawings from Mr. Haeckel are superb. I only wish they were in color...which you can purchase the more expensive color plate book. But still this is quite worth the money.

Black and white book, dont be fooled by cover into thinking the illustrations are in color. The drawings are great but disapointed they weren't in color.

This book is a must have for any artist. This is the second copy I have purchased, as a gift for a very talented father in law. Being an artist, I am constantly looking for inspiration and this book delivers that in abundance! How nature created these natural forms.....is simply amazing.....you have to be in awe of them. If for nothing else, the beauty of these pictures will amaze you.....and to some of you, you may even know what they are! To me, they are art.

I have to say that out of all the books I own,this one is my favorite.If you are an artist,in any media,and have a love for the beauty in geometry in natural forms,this book is a keeper.