A presentation given at the Smithsonian Associates event entitled: "Science as Art: The Beauty of Botanical Illustration." This presentation was a joint event with Alice Tangerini on 12 February, 2017.
Science as Art: Free Access to Natural History Books and Art in the Biodiversity Heritage Library
1. Science as Art
Free Access to Natural History
Books and Art in the
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Grace Costantino
12 February 2017 | Smithsonian Associates
@BioDivLibrary
Share your thoughts on social media using #BHLib
2. The Biodiversity Heritage Library
provides free and open online
access to library collections from
around the world.
3. The Biodiversity Heritage Library
(www.biodiversitylibrary.org) is an open access digital
library for biodiversity literature and archives.
7. 64,500+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
11,800+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
11,400+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
32,300+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
5,000+
AVERAGE MONTHLY
READERS (CY16)
2,300+
FOLLOW @BIODIVLIBRARY
*Stats as of February 2017
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
4,000+
8. 110,000+
IMAGES IN FLICKR
TOTAL IMAGES
TAGGED31,500+
223+MILLION
TOTAL VIEWS ON IMAGES
OF TOTAL FLICKR
COLLECTION TAGGED
TAGGED IMAGES IN
EOL
29% 18,000+
BHL FLICKR NAMED 1 OF WIREDâS
27 MUST-FOLLOW FEEDS IN
THE WORLD OF SCIENCE
*Stats as of February 2017.
WWW.FLICKR.COM/BIODIVLIBRARY
10. De aquatilibus
WOODCUTS
Ă⯠By Pierre Belon, 1553
Ă⯠Beginning of modern
ichthyology
Ă⯠Start of modern embryology
Ă⯠Used to print paper documents in
Asia as early as 7th century AD.
Ă⯠Earliest known dated printed book
from China, 868 AD.
Ă⯠Late 14th/Early 15th century used for
printing in Europe.
Ă⯠By mid-15th century, used to print
block books and illustrated books in
Europe.
WoodcutsâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/5765
13. De aquatilibus
WOODCUTS
Ă⯠By Pierre Belon, 1553
Ă⯠Beginning of modern
ichthyology
Ă⯠Start of modern embryology
Ă⯠Used to print paper documents in
Asia as early as 7th century AD.
Ă⯠Earliest known dated printed book
from China, 868 AD.
Ă⯠Late 14th/Early 15th century used for
printing in Europe.
Ă⯠By mid-15th century, used to print
block books and illustrated books in
Europe.
WoodcutsâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/5765
15. Natural History of Carolina,
Florida, and the Bahama Islands
ETCHINGS
Ă⯠By Mark Catesby, 1729-47
Ă⯠First fully-illustrated book on
the flora and fauna of North
America.
Ă⯠Earliest known examples of its use
from Germany in the mid-1400s.
Ă⯠Etching process in printmaking
believed to date to 1515.
Ă⯠Intaglio processes became standard
for illustrating books by late 16th
century.
Ă⯠Used predominantly until the
mid-19th century when lithography
started gaining ground.
Intaglio PrintmakingâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/62015
18. Natural History of Carolina,
Florida, and the Bahama Islands
ETCHINGS
Ă⯠By Mark Catesby, 1729-47
Ă⯠First fully-illustrated book on
the flora and fauna of North
America.
Ă⯠Earliest known examples of its use
from Germany in the mid-1400s.
Ă⯠Etching process in printmaking
believed to date to 1515.
Ă⯠Intaglio processes became standard
for illustrating books by late 16th
century.
Ă⯠Used predominantly until the
mid-19th century when lithography
started gaining ground.
Intaglio PrintmakingâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/62015
19. Etching Process
Copper etching plate
and print.
Rembrandt.
The Virgin and Child
with a Cat, 1654.
Image:
CC-BY-SA.
Author:
NotFromUtrecht.
20. Plantarum historia succulentarum
ENGRAVINGS
Ă⯠Illustrated by the Raphael of
flowers, Pierre-Joseph RedouteÌ.
Ă⯠Published 1799-1837.
Ă⯠The first botanical publication
for which RedouteÌ was the sole
artist.
Ă⯠Dots, rather than lines, are used to
give a finer, more delicate
impression of tone and shading.
Stipple EngravingâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/503
23. Plantarum historia succulentarum
ENGRAVINGS
Ă⯠Illustrated by the Raphael of
flowers, Pierre-Joseph RedouteÌ.
Ă⯠Published 1799-1837.
Ă⯠The first botanical publication
for which RedouteÌ was the sole
artist.
Ă⯠Dots, rather than lines, are used to
give a finer, more delicate
impression of tone and shading.
Stipple EngravingâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/503
24. The Birds of Australia
LITHOGRAPHY
Ă⯠By John Gould, 1840-48.
Ă⯠First comprehensive survey of
the birds of Australia.
Ă⯠Lithographs by Elizabeth Gould,
Henry Constantine Richter,
Edward Lear, and Waterhouse
Hawkins.
Ă⯠First discovered by a German actor
and playwright, Alois Senefelder, in
1796.
Ă⯠Used to varying degrees in early 19th
century, increasingly popular from
mid-century onward.
LithographyâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/105698
27. The Birds of Australia
LITHOGRAPHY
Ă⯠By John Gould, 1840-48.
Ă⯠First comprehensive survey of
the birds of Australia.
Ă⯠Lithographs by Elizabeth Gould,
Henry Constantine Richter,
Edward Lear, and Waterhouse
Hawkins.
Ă⯠First discovered by a German actor
and playwright, Alois Senefelder, in
1796.
Ă⯠Used to varying degrees in early 19th
century, increasingly popular from
mid-century onward.
LithographyâŠ
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/105698
33. Additional Resources
ĂâŻHistory of Printing: American Printing History Association
ĂâŻhttps://printinghistory.org/timeline/
ĂâŻWoodblock Printing: John Steins
ĂâŻhttp://www.johnsteins.com/woodblock-printing.html
ĂâŻIntaglio Techniques: National Gallery of Art
ĂâŻhttps://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/clrflimpr-tech.shtm
ĂâŻLithography: The Met
ĂâŻhttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lith/hd_lith.htm
ĂâŻChromolithography: University of Delaware Library:
ĂâŻhttp://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibits/color/lithogr.htm
34. Find & Download Botanical
Art in BHL
ĂâŻTo go: http://bit.do/BotanicalArt
ĂâŻClick on link to view page in BHL
ĂâŻFollow download instructions
here: http://bit.do/HighQualityJPEG
36. Find & Download Botanical
Art in BHL
ĂâŻTo go: http://bit.do/BotanicalArt
ĂâŻClick on link to view page in BHL
ĂâŻFollow download instructions
here: http://bit.do/HighQualityJPEG