Plate 80: Lacertilia 1899
Buy this print on Etsy →Lizards bask, climb, and coil across Plate 80: Lacertilia, a vivid and spirited page from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms in Nature). Rendered in warm earth tones and crisp detail, the assembled lizards show off the astonishing variety of their kind, from frilled and crested heads to jeweled scales and gripping, splayed toes, each figure posed to reveal its distinctive silhouette.
The Lacertilia, the scientific grouping of lizards, gave Haeckel a chance to celebrate texture and form. He draws the fine granular scales, the ridged crests, and the tapering tails with a naturalist's accuracy, then arranges the animals so the page balances beautifully, larger figures anchoring the composition while smaller ones fill the spaces between. There is real personality here, a sense of these reptiles as alert, living creatures rather than mere specimens.
Issued in ten parts between 1899 and 1904, Kunstformen der Natur presented one hundred lithographic plates that helped shape Art Nouveau and popularized the idea that scientific illustration could be genuine art. Alongside the famous marine plates, Haeckel devoted pages to reptiles, mammals, and plants, and this lizard plate is a standout for anyone who loves the drama and detail of the reptile world.
As decor, Plate 80 brings warmth and energy to a wall. Its rich, earthy palette works well in a study, a library, a den, a child's nature-themed bedroom, or a desert- and terrarium-inspired interior. It is an obvious favorite for herpetologists, reptile keepers, and naturalists, and it adds an unexpected, lively note to a gallery wall of vintage science prints.
Every print is made on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper using fade-resistant pigment inks, keeping the scale-by-scale detail sharp and the warm colors true over the years. Select your size from the drop-down menu: 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, or 24x36 inches. Prints ship rolled in a sturdy protective tube, while the smallest size is sent flat to ensure it arrives undamaged. The frame is not included, so you can choose framing that fits your space. This is a faithful reproduction of the original antique plate.
Plate 80: Lacertilia makes a memorable gift for the reptile enthusiast in your life and a striking addition to any home that celebrates the natural world. It settles comfortably into both vintage and contemporary rooms, carrying the credibility of one of the most influential natural history works ever published. Hang it where its detail can be admired up close, and let Haeckel's lizards bring a touch of sun-warmed wildness indoors. More than a century on, this plate still captures what made the series so beloved, the meeting of exacting science and genuine artistry, and it invites anyone who passes to lean in and look a little longer at these remarkable animals.
