Printmaking Archives - Page 6 of 12

Psalliota silvatica Schäff., Ps. perrara Schulz. (1915-1945)

Hans Walty (Swiss, 1868-1948)

Delicate gills fan beneath the cap’s smooth curve, each line precise as a map. The mushroom stands solitary, its stem rooted in shadow, a quiet study of texture and form. Earth clings to the base, hinting at the damp forest floor it was plucked from.
Foreign butterflies occurring in the three continents Asia, Africa and America Pl.319 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Vibrant wings from three continents—Asia’s delicate patterns, Africa’s bold hues, America’s striking contrasts—frozen mid-flight. Each engraving traces the fleeting beauty of these distant travelers, a silent dance across borders.
Lycoperdon enchinatum (1915-1945)

Hans Walty (Swiss, 1868-1948)

Spiny, globular, and strangely delicate—this fungus emerges from the page with precise, almost scientific detail. The engraving’s fine lines trace each bristling protrusion, transforming a humble puffball into something alien yet familiar.
Fauna japonica Pl.082 (1833-1850)

Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (German, 1796–1866)

Delicate wings spread across the page, veins traced with scientific precision. A Japanese beetle rendered in ink, its carapace gleaming as if still alive beneath the paper. The specimen seems ready to crawl off the page, frozen mid-motion by an unseen hand.
Scarus croicensis, The red Parrot-fish. (1785-1797)

Marcus Elieser Bloch (German, 1723–1799)

The red parrot-fish glides through coral shadows, scales shimmering like wet silk. Its beak-like mouth, built for scraping algae, hints at a life spent reshaping reefs. Every engraved line traces the creature’s motion—not just a specimen, but a pulse of the ocean caught in ink.
Archives de l’histoire des insectes Pl.34 (1794)

Johann Caspar Fuessli (Swiss, 1706–1782)

Delicate wings and segmented legs emerge from the page—each insect meticulously rendered, their forms both alien and familiar. The engraving freezes these tiny lives in precise detail, transforming specimens into something strangely beautiful.
Fauna japonica Pl.015 (1833-1850)

Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (German, 1796–1866)

Delicate wings unfold against crisp paper, a Japanese insect preserved in ink. The engraving balances scientific precision with quiet elegance, each line tracing the creature’s form as if it might take flight from the page. Here, nature meets artistry in meticulous crosshatched shadows and fine, unbroken contours.
De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America pl19 (1779-1782)

Pieter Cramer (Dutch, 1721–1776)

Delicate wings unfurl in precise detail—each vein, spot, and gradient of color meticulously recorded. These butterflies and moths, frozen mid-flight, reveal nature’s intricate artistry. The engravings transform fleeting beauty into something permanent, a silent catalog of life’s fragile patterns.
Abbildungen zu Oken’s Allgemeiner Naturgeschichte für alle Stände Pl.029 (1841)

Lorenz Oken (German, unknown)

Delicate veins branch across translucent leaves, each curve precise as a surgeon’s incision. The engraving freezes their unfurling—not just plants, but architectures of light and shadow. Here, botany becomes blueprint.