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XXL
XXL books are a minimum 39 cm (15.4 in.)

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel

200Edition: Multilingual (English, French, German)Availability: In Stock
Discover Ernst Haeckel, the 19th-century artist-biologist who found beauty in even the most unlikely of creatures. This collection features 450 prints from his most important publications, including the majestic Kunstformen der Natur and his extensive catalogues of marine life. As biodiversity is ever-more threatened, these exquisite images are a scientific, artistic, and environmental masterwork.
Hardcover11.2 x 15.6 in.15.75 lb704 pages
“…as energetic and colorful as Haeckel’s life. It’s scientific eye candy that feels as fresh as Haeckel’s groundbreaking biological art must have seemed more than a century ago.”
The Washington Post
“A dazzling graphic work... One is left astounded by these mesmerizing wonders.”
Le Monde
“…a glorious, oversize volume collecting Haeckel’s artistic work.”
The Wall Street Journal
“The book’s prints and commentary shed new light on the prolific output of Ernst Haeckel and his impact on modern science and philosophy.”
vice.com
“Through Haeckel’s steady hand everyone can grasp the beauty, the elegance - and sometimes the sadness - in all walks of life.”
smithsonianmag.com
“…a glorious book… his influence on art and the natural sciences remains profound, and his stunning artworks continue to stand the test of time.”
American Scientist
“This is a bible for those who love pattern.”
The Times
XXL
XXL books are a minimum 39 cm (15.4 in.)
The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel

200

Microbial Marvels

Ernst Haeckel, the 19th-century pioneer who captured the artistic beauty of the natural world

Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919) was a German-born biologist, naturalist, evolutionist, artist, philosopher, and doctor who spent his life researching flora and fauna from the highest mountaintops to the deepest ocean. A vociferous supporter and developer of Darwin’s theories of evolution, he denounced religious dogma, authored philosophical treatises, gained a doctorate in zoology, and coined scientific terms which have passed into common usage, including ecology, phylum, and stem cell.

At the heart of Haeckel’s colossal legacy was the motivation not only to discover but also to explain. To do this, he created hundreds of detailed drawings, watercolors, and sketches of his findings which he published in successive volumes, including several marine organism collections and the majestic Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms in Nature), which could serve as the cornerstone of Haeckel’s entire life project. Like a meticulous visual encyclopedia of living things, Haeckel’s work was as remarkable for its graphic precision and meticulous shading as for its understanding of organic evolution. From bats to the box jellyfish, lizards to lichen, and spider legs to sea anemones, Haeckel emphasized the essential symmetries and order of nature, and found biological beauty in even the most unlikely of creatures.

In this book, we celebrate the scientific, artistic, and environmental importance of Haeckel’s work, with a collection of 450 of his finest prints from several of his most important tomes, including Die Radiolarien, Monographie der Medusen, Die Kalkschwämme, and Kunstformen der Natur. At a time when biodiversity is increasingly threatened by human activities, the book is at once a visual masterwork, an underwater exploration, and a vivid reminder of the precious variety of life.
The authors

Julia Voss gained her doctorate with a thesis on visual representations of Darwinian evolution theory. Until 2017, she was head of the art department of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and deputy head of the features section. Voss is an honorary professor at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, and her research focusses on the history of abstraction, restitution and provenance, and the connections between evolutionary theory and culture.

Rainer Willmann holds a chair in zoology at Göttingen University, is director of its Zoological Museum, and is cofounder of its Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research. A specialist in phylogenetics and evolution, he conducts research into biodiversity and its history.

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel
Hardcover28.5 x 39.5 cm7.14 kg704 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-2646-3

Edition: Multilingual (English, French, German)
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4.8

/5

5 Ratings

The book was a blast

Despina,October 27, 2021
I was saving for quite some time to acquire the book and it really worth it! It happened that I got to know more about Haeckel during my personal work and my master (Ecology and Conservation of Biodiversity) but the illustrations and the descriptions are far beyond my expectations. Well done TASCHEN team!

Gigantisch

Max,December 22, 2021
Ein wirklich gigantisches Buch, vom Umfang, Größe und Qualität der Abbildungen her. Leider sind einige der Abbildungen aus der Serie Kunstformen der Natur, der wohl bekanntesten Serie Haeckels, deutlich verkleinert worden, gerade hier wäre es schöner gewesen, die Bildtafeln auf voller Seitengröße bewundern zu können.

Die Schönheit der natürlichen Formen

Sebastian,October 29, 2021
Simpel, detailliert, prächtig, verschwenderisch, chaotisch, geordnet, formschön. Diese meisterhaften Bilder zeigen die Schönheit und die gegensätzlichen Aspekte der Natur. Für mich eine Quelle der Inspiration, vor allem die Formen und die Vielfalt inspirieren mich und lassen mich die Fülle der Natur und ihrer genialen Konstruktionen honorieren.

Wunderschön gemacht!!

Signe,October 27, 2021
Das Buch ist sehr aufwendig und schön gestaltet! Mein Sohn ist überglücklich mit dieser Ausgabe.

Excellent

Thomas,December 17, 2021
Très bel ouvrages aux illustrations somptueuses.