Plants and Animals

"Art and nature will always battle one another until they triumph and prevail, drawing the same lines that are both conquered and claimed at the same time," wrote 17th-century illustrator and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian. Can her visions of flora and fauna be considered works of art today? And why has history forgotten the “Raphael of Flowers”?

This 240-page album showcases masterful illustrations from historical natural history atlases—vivid, precise, and rich in detail. At the dawn of modern taxonomy of plants and animals, these works served not only as scientific documentation but also as testimonies to nature’s beauty. Life-size reproductions and magnified microscopic details remind us that in the pre-photography era, engravings fulfilled the human need for aesthetics. The collection, sourced from the Print Room of the PAU and PAN Scientific Library and the Library of the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals of the Polish Academy of Sciences, includes graphic masterpieces—among them famous botanical and ornithological albums. It tells a story of science and art that transcends borders and centuries, blending close observation of nature with exceptional artistic skill.

The reproductions have been meticulously restored—imperfections removed and original colors recreated using UV technology and high-quality matte paper. The eco-friendly binding, featuring an embossed title and multicolored collage, seamlessly combines elegance with a natural feel.