Ernst Haeckel Trochilidae
Buy this print on Etsy →A dazzling celebration of one of nature's most beautiful families, this plate of hummingbirds (Trochilidae) comes from Ernst Haeckel's legendary 'Kunstformen der Natur' (Art Forms in Nature), published between 1899 and 1904. A symmetrical arrangement of tiny, jewel-toned hummingbirds fills the page, their iridescent plumage and delicate forms rendered with the precision of a scientist and the eye of a master designer. It is a shimmering study of living light.
Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) was a German biologist, naturalist and artist who did as much as anyone to reveal the hidden artistry of the natural world. A devoted Darwinian, he drew tirelessly, and his 'Kunstformen der Natur' - a hundred exquisitely composed plates ranging from jellyfish and anemones to orchids and hummingbirds - profoundly influenced Art Nouveau design, architecture and the decorative arts. His gift was for arrangement, grouping his specimens with a rhythm and balance that turns scientific illustration into breathtaking decoration.
Hummingbirds, with their glittering colours and impossible delicacy, are among the most enchanting subjects of all. Haeckel arranges them like a spray of living jewels, celebrating both their diversity and their extraordinary grace.
As wall art it is a glowing delight. The vivid colours and fine detail make it a natural for a living room, bedroom, study or sunroom, a nursery or a nature-lover's gallery wall, and it suits botanical, Art Nouveau, cottagecore and eclectic interiors alike. It is a wonderful gift for bird watchers, hummingbird lovers, naturalists and anyone drawn to vintage biology and ornithology art, and it looks especially beautiful grouped with other Haeckel plates.
Because the original was published around 1900 and Haeckel's work is now in the public domain, we are able to reproduce it at full museum quality.
Each print is produced on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper, faithfully capturing the iridescent colour, fine detail and soft antique paper of the original plate - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
