Hans Walter Lack Books

Created during Alexander von Humboldt's historic expedition to the Americas and Cuba-hailed by many as the scientific discovery of AmericaA"-these intricate and delicately tinted prints record his revolutionary findings as he traveled through jungles, across rivers, and over mountainous terrain. The illustrations in the book give the English and Latin botanical names of the plants and are followed by an exhaustive index. Published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Humboldt's death, this collection of botanical prints contains many works that have never been published before. Internationally renowned botanist H. Walter Lack lends his expertise to a fascinating essay that discusses Humboldt's significant contributions to the world of botany and scientific research. Technically precise, the prints are equally appealing to anyone who appreciates fine art and botanical illustration.

In ihrem Streben nach Wissen und Schönheit basierte die Kunst der botanischen Illustration schon immer gleichermaßen auf handwerklicher Perfektion und naturwissenschaftlichen Kenntnissen . Um die genaue Form, Farbe und Details der unterschiedlichen Pflanzenarten auf Papier zu bringen braucht es sowohl Präzision als auch ein Gefühl für Ästhetik. Diese aktualisierte Ausgabe des TASCHEN Classics dokumentiert anhand herausragender botanischer Manuskripte aus der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, von byzantinischen Handschriften bis zu Meisterwerken des 19. Jahrhunderts , die Tradition der botanischen Illustration. Die exquisiten Farbreproduktionen lassen erkennen, welche Kunstfertigkeit darin liegt, Pflanzen zu wissenschaftlichen Zwecken, als Aufzeichnung aussterbender Arten oder einfach als Hommage an die Schönheit und Vielfalt der Natur zu zeichnen.

Filled with stunning 18th- and 19th-century illustrations, this book brings together the life and art of the celebrated Bauer Brothers, renowned botanical artists. Joseph, Franz, and Ferdinand Bauer achieved individual success: Joseph served as court painter to the Prince of Lichtenstein, Franz worked at Kew Gardens as the "Botanick Painter to His Majesty," and Ferdinand created a seminal collection of 1,500 paintings based on his travels in Australia, providing a detailed account of the continent's natural history. Drawing on the Natural History Museum's holdings, the narrative unfolds chronologically, beginning with the brothers' formative years in Feldsberg, Austria, where they produced over two thousand drawings of plant specimens under the guidance of a local abbot. They mastered plant dissection and microscopy, gaining a reputation for their extraordinary precision. Their meticulous detail and exquisite coloring methods are showcased in superbly reproduced illustrations. This volume celebrates the Golden Age of botanical artistry through the lives and contributions of the Bauer brothers, highlighting their indelible impact on the field.

The extraordinary early nineteenth century gardens of Josephine Bonaparte at Malmaison are revealed in this lavish publication. One hundred and twenty colored stipple engravings depict a dazzling array of exotic plants from around the world, while the text tells the fascinating story of how the first wife of Napoleon I came to transform a modest estate on the outskirts of Paris into a botanical and zoological garden to rival the great Jardin des Plantes itself. Keen to have these biological rarities recorded in lifelike watercolor, Josephine engaged the foremost plant illustrator of the day, Pierre-Joseph Redoute, to paint 120 of them on fine parchment, and commissioned Etienne-Pierre Ventenat, librarian of the Pantheon in Paris, to write accompanying plant descriptions. She then arranged for the text and illustrations to be published together as the Jardin de la Malmaison. A number of engravers were employed to produce colored stipple engravings after Redoute's watercolors, and the publication appeared in twenty installments between April 1803 and November 1805.

Stored behind the thick walls of the Vaduz Castle lay a priceless manuscript - the 14 volume Liber Regni Vegetabilis. This work, created in the 18th century, and quite unknown until now, contains naturalistic illustrations of some 3,100 different plant species from all over the world, depicted in captivating beauty and exceptional detail. This is truly a work of superlatives: for more than 30 years several highly qualified specialists worked together to capture in art the native plants of Lower Austria and Moravia. More than half of the watercolor paintings is the work of Franz and Ferdinand Bauer, who are among the most famous botanical illustrators of all time. Indeed, Ferdinand Bauer has been described - with justification - as the "Leonardo of natural history illustration". This is a work of outstanding quality, truly a Garden for Eternity.

In ihrem Streben nach Wissen und Schönheit basierte die Kunst der botanischen Illustration schon immer gleichermaßen auf handwerklicher Perfektion und naturwissenschaftlichen Kenntnissen. Um die genaue Form, Farbe und Details der unterschiedlichen Pflanzenarten auf Papier zu bringen braucht es sowohl Präzision als auch ein Gefühl für Ästhetik. Diese aktualisierte Ausgabe des TASCHEN Classics dokumentiert anhand herausragender botanischer Manuskripte aus der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, von byzantinischen Handschriften bis zu Meisterwerken des 19. Jahrhunderts, die Tradition der botanischen Illustration. Die exquisiten Farbreproduktionen lassen erkennen, welche Kunstfertigkeit darin liegt, Pflanzen zu wissenschaftlichen Zwecken, als Aufzeichnung aussterbender Arten oder einfach als Hommage an die Schönheit und Vielfalt der Natur zu zeichnen.