One of the most beautiful science books ever made, Ernst Haeckel's Art Forms in Nature gathers 100 plates of radiolarians, jellyfish, and other tiny organisms that reveal the hidden symmetry of the natural world.
First published in full in 1904, under the German title Kunstformen der Natur, Haeckel's unique study set out to reveal the structures underlying all living things. Working in both pencil and watercolour, he captured the complex forms, patterns, and structures of the organisms he discovered - many of them microscopic and never presented in such detail before. While his illustrations serve as a visual encyclopaedia for his pioneering research and biological discoveries, their forms helped shape the Art Nouveau movement, drawn directly into the architecture, glass, and jewellery of the age.
This edition celebrates Haeckel's work in its original detail, preserving the shapes and colours as they first appeared. Over a century on, Art Forms in Nature remains one of the most striking examples of where art meets science, still studied by designers and naturalists alike.
Book Features:
- A facsimile of Ernst Haeckel's 1904 Kunstformen der Natur in 100 illustrated plates.
- Radiolarians, jellyfish, sea anemones, lichens, orchids, and other forms reproduced from Haeckel's watercolour and pencil studies.
- A large-format reference book for designers, artists, and naturalists.
- A distinctive gift and coffee table book for lovers of natural history, botanical art, and Art Nouveau design.
