Metallurgy and Alchemy

The other day at work I came across the word "metallurgy" and I started to day dream about alchemy and what old lithograph images might be found on the subject.  BibliOdyssey has a beautiful collection of images on their blog under Alchemy Laboratories.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Sketchbook Project 2011

The Art House Co-op received my sketchbook and it has been cataloged and checked into the exhibition.  The sketchbooks will be on display at the Brooklyn Art Library at 103A N. 3rd Street until February 27th at which point they leave for their cross country trek.  The first stop will be Austin, Texas on March 12th.  See the full schedule for an opportunity near you to check out the artist's sketchbooks.

With my sketchbook theme "Science Project Gone Wrong" I explored jewelry design concepts that bordered and crossed into the obscure and odd.  Below are a few of my favorite sketches.

Art Forms of Nature

One of my go to books.  Ernst Haekels' illustrations of bizarre sea creatures is an artist's dream.

Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel – born February 16, 1834, died August 9, 1919.  Duplication of his work has been prolific recently as his work is now in public domain.  Ernst was an eminent German biologist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, professor and artist.  He discovered, documented and named thousands of new species.  His publication Kunstfomen der Natur (Artforms of Nature) included over 100 detailed and colored illustrations of animals and sea creatures.

Amazing Minerals

More amazing mineral lithographs.  These are from France 1780s, framed 15" wide x 20" high.  No additional information as to the naturalist or book these originated from.  Available from GRIS through 1stdibs.

19th Century Documents

Hand painted lithographs are so beautiful and I adore them.  The depiction and documentation of nature in an artistic and scientific manner is fascinating.  These originals from 1826 are part of Louis Isidore Duperrey’s 3^rd volume of work “Voyage autour du monde:  Sur la corvette la Coquille”.  

Every detail, hair and dimple was carefully rendered showing each leg, antennae and armature.  Iridescent paints were used to reproduce the metallic shells of beetles and vivid colors for butterfly wings.  The colored depictions are accompanied often with line illustrations showing the segmentation of the insects. 

More information on the voyage and additional lithograph images...