While our images are electronically watermarked, the antique prints themselves are not.

Actiniae HAK49 $265
Each print measures approximately 10 1/4 inches by 14 inches.

We are very pleased to offer prints from an exceptional work, Kunstformen der Natur, or Art Forms in Nature, by Ernst Heinrich Haeckel (1834-1919), a German physician, biologist and nature philosopher. Guided by his father into the practice of medicine, he soon forsook this early career to follow a path more to his liking. In 1862 he began his academic career as a biologist and professor of zoology at the University in Jena where he taught and conducted research until 1909.

During his tenure at Jena, he devoted time to traveling as a field naturalist, collecting specimens along the way. He is noted for his discovery of radiolarian, a type of amoeboid protozoa that produces intricate mineral skeletons found as plankton throughout the ocean. These oceanic organisms are reflected in diverse forms that are strikingly beautiful, almost like the snowflakes of the sea. Notably, he also coined the terms “phylum” and “ecology.”

Haeckel's academic and literary output was enormous, and by the time he was 60, he had produced 42 works of over 13,000 pages, including numerous scientific memoirs.
He was a flamboyant & controversial character who espoused Lamarckian rather than Darwinian concepts, though he did contribute to the popularization of Darwin’s work in Germany. Something of a maverick in the scientific world, many of his drawings are closer to art than reality, as he was not above inventing creatures to substantiate his theories.

In many ways, Kunstformen der Natur was a synthesis of Haeckel’s work and his endless fascination with life forms on earth. Published as booklets with 10 illustrations each from 1899-1904, it is considered by many his greatest work. Like his contemporary, Karl Blossfeldt, who utilized photography to depict nature in a convergence of many disciplines, including scientific, creative & artistic, Haeckel brought together a vision of the zoological world that is full of symmetry and is vibrant & powerful. Between them they were seminal influences, not only in the Art Nouveau movement of the early 1900’s, but in the entire art world of the 20th century, bridging the world between nature and art.

Each print is of the highest quality lithography, measuring approximately 10 1/4 inches by 14 inches, is in excellent condition on high quality paper. A copy of the title page and relevant short description will be included with each print. PLEASE NOTE these are genuine FIRST EDITION ORIGINAL prints, not reproductions. The colored prints are breathtakingly beautiful and need little enhancement. The black and white illustrations can be simply framed with a white, black core rag mat & wood frame, to be superbly decorative, with a unique vision that remains fresh and exciting to this very day.

We accept credit cards & PayPal. Florida state residents pay Florida state sales tax. Shipping for this item is $9.95. Items can be combined to save on postage. Our environment is smoke free. We pack professionally using only new materials. All items are beautifully wrapped and suitable for sending directly as gifts. You may return any item within 15 days if not satisfied. To order, you may call us at 1-888-PANTEEK, fax or email.