Ernst Haeckel Orchidae
Buy this print on Etsy →A breathtaking union of science and art, this plate of orchids comes from Ernst Haeckel's legendary 'Kunstformen der Natur' (Art Forms in Nature), the influential portfolio published between 1899 and 1904. Against a soft ground, a symmetrical arrangement of exotic orchids unfurls in exquisite detail - their sculptural, almost otherworldly blooms rendered with the precision of a scientist and the eye of a designer. It is nature revealed as pure, dazzling ornament.
Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) was a German biologist, naturalist and artist who did as much as anyone to popularise the beauty of the natural world. A passionate follower of Darwin, he travelled, studied and drew tirelessly, and his 'Kunstformen der Natur' - a hundred meticulous, gorgeously composed plates of creatures and plants from jellyfish to orchids - had an enormous influence on Art Nouveau design, architecture and decorative arts. Few books have ever done more to reveal the hidden artistry of living things.
What makes these plates so captivating is Haeckel's genius for arrangement: he groups his specimens with a symmetry and rhythm that turns a scientific study into a stunning decorative composition. The orchids, with their intricate, exotic forms, are among the most beautiful subjects of all.
As wall art it is effortlessly elegant. The graceful forms and soft colour make it a natural for a bedroom, living room, study or plant-filled space, and it suits botanical, Art Nouveau, cottagecore and eclectic interiors alike. It is a wonderful gift for orchid and plant lovers, scientists and naturalists, and anyone drawn to vintage biology and botanical art, and it looks especially beautiful grouped with other Haeckel plates in a gallery wall.
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 fine detail, delicate colour and soft antique paper of the original plate - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
