Visions of Nature: The Art And Science of Ernst Haeckel
by Olaf Breidbach
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Book Summary Information
Author: Olaf BreidbachEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-10-30
ISBN: 3791336649
Number of pages: 299
Publisher: Prestel Publishing
Book Reviews of Visions of Nature: The Art And Science of Ernst Haeckel
Book Review: Pretty Good But Not Definitive
Summary: 4 Stars
Ernst Haeckel was a Nineteenth Century naturalist who, like Audubon, was also a talented wildlife artist. However, where Audubon focussed on birds and other higher animals, Haeckel's work delights in the symmetry and complexity of invertebrates, many of them marine. I do not know to what extent Haeckel's work was done in color, as most of his drawings in this book are monotone or with only a small amount of color. However, he seems to have had a real genius for portraying the intricate morphology of animals like jellyfish and calcareous sponges. The text is integral to the purpose of the book, and it is clear that Haeckel made some contributions to the early evolutionary literature. He was the first evolutionist to note that embryos tend to recapitulate their phylogenetic history as they develop. However, he has rightly been criticized for fudging his illustrations of the various stages of developing human embryos - included herein - which are clearly exaggerated in their resemblance to fish, quadrupeds, and other human ancestors.
Two caveats of which I would apprise potential buyers of this book are as follows. There are far too many illustrations included that are not by Haeckel, presumably to show his relation to his contemporaries. It is common in art books to include a few of these, but there are far more non-Haeckel pictures in this book than are necessary. Additionally, for such a large and expensive book focussing on science, there are too few of Haeckel's scientific illustrations included, and too many of his rather substandard landscapes, domestic decorations, and so forth.
I would recommend this book as the best collection of Haeckel's work I have seen, but it is certainly not the definitive book on him. That, it seems, has yet to be published.
Summary of Visions of Nature: The Art And Science of Ernst Haeckel
A famous biologist and scientist, Haeckel was also enormously influential in the art world, particularly the Art Nouveau and Surrealist movements, and his elaborate and mesmerizing illustrations are the subject of continued interest by artists and designers. From his minutely detailed renderings of radiolarians and his vivid depictions of embryonic development to his softly colored landscapes of the Italian countryside, these vibrant reproductions of Haeckel's art works demonstrate a profound appreciation for nature's intrinsic design that will continue to inspire artists for generations to come. This volume also features numerous never before published works. One of the foremost scholars on Haeckel's work explores in this book his revolutionary and often contentious theories in evolution, as well as his contributions as a scientist and explorer. Haeckel's influence on modern art and culture is also highlighted in the introduction. Fusing scientific thought with philosophy and molecular structure with design, this richly illustrated profile of a revolutionary thinker and brilliant artist will delight Haeckel's ever-growing audience.Art History Books
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