Scientists didn’t always have fancy cameras. Capturing an image of their specimens or experiments used to be a huge ordeal. Before the modern era, scientists were also artists. They illustrated what they saw in the wild or in the laboratory.
Most scientists nowadays are probably happy they don’t need to double major in art. It is fascinating though to imagine a scientist working for hours and hours on pictures for their next book or publication. Here are a few of our favorite old school science drawings.
Animal species through time. From Popular Science Monthly, September 1905.
Moths from the early 1900’s.
Some mushrooms from 1855.
Majestic falcon from a book documenting the birds of Germany.
Watch out! From the mid 1700’s.
Illustration from a turn of the century encyclopedia.
I do not want to step on these mushrooms. From 1895.
The principle lymph vessels, 1969.
Before space photography.
A subtle bit of nature from 1925.
Whoa. From 1849.
From a book about the history of cranes, 1881.
Beautiful illustration from 1921.
Diagram from the early 1800’s.
Frogs in the South Pacific, 1923.
Reptile blood vessels, 1869.
More mushrooms because why not. From 1822.
Sketches of animal history from the early 1800’s.
Beautiful illustration from 1921.
Beautiful, and informative. Not only were these scientists brilliant thinkers, they were talented artists. Don’t forget to share this story on Facebook by clicking below.
