Works of Art for Science
Glass models of invertebrates from the studio of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka
By Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
Written by Sabine Hackethal
Front view of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in 1893Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
With the opening of the Museum für Naturkunde on Invalidenstraße in 1889, the Berlin public experienced a completely new exhibition situation for the first time. Before, at the Berlin University, the zoological collections had filled the rooms to the point of overflowing. Every visitor was confronted with the immense variety, but also the unmistakable nature of the objects.
Karl August Möbius (1825-1908) (1895) by Ernst HildebrandOriginal Source: Wikimedia Commons
In the new building, the director Karl Möbius separated the main scientific collections from the public collections. Based on his many years of teaching experience, Möbius used a wide variety of media to make the exhibition understandable for visitors, without foregoing scientific correctness.
Blaschka model of Physalia physalis (detail) by Leopold and Rudolf BlaschkaMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin
In order to illustrate the distribution, anatomy and systematics of animals, Möbius supplemented a targeted selection of original specimens with drawings, photos, teaching boards and models. In addition to the morphological models made of wax, paper mache, celluloid and even gelatine, the glass models by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka stood out because of their scientific precision and their extraordinary aesthetic appeal.
Radiolarium aus der Glasbläserwerkstatt Blaschka, Zoologische Sammlung der Universität Tübingen (2015-11-23) by MuseopediaOriginal Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Blaschkas originally came from northern Bohemia. The art of glassworking was passedon from generation to generation in their family, but Leopold and his son Rudolf were thefirst to put their craft at the service of the natural sciences.
Rudolf, Leopold and Caroline Blaschka in gardenOriginal Source: Harvard University Herbaria and Botany Libraries
Leopold Blaschka (right) was born in Böhmisch Aicha (today Český Dub) in 1822. After training as a goldsmith and glassblower, he initially worked as a glass worker in Turnau (today Turnov). The first glass flowers were created there around 1857, initially out of private interest, later as the first commissioned work.
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Prince Camille de Rohan supported Blaschka's work and allowed him to use the gardens and greenhouse at Sichrow Castle near Turnau for his botanical studies.
Rudolf, Leopold and Caroline Blaschka in gardenOriginal Source: Harvard University Herbaria and Botany Libraries
Leopold Blaschka's only son Rudolf (center) was born in 1857 and began working in his father's workshop at the age of thirteen. In 1863 the Blaschkas moved to Dresden and soon began to manufacture the first zoological models there.
At first they made their living mainly from the manufacture and sale of laboratory glassware, eye prostheses for humans and glass eyes for animal preparations as well as jewelry. But the demand for their glass animals continued to grow, so that in the 1880s they concentrated entirely on their manufacture.
Blaschka glass model in the Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève : Chiroteuthis veranyi (2013-10-22) by VassilOriginal Source: Wikimedia Commons
Between 1863 and 1890, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka made thousands of glass models of marine invertebrates in their workshop in Dresden-Hosterwitz, which they sent to universities and museums around the world.
View into the Wet Collection (2) by Carola Radke (MfN)Museum für Naturkunde Berlin
The models were created from illustrations of zoological works and after own studies on living animals, but also from pieces preserved in alcohol. Their glass models of marine invertebrates of various taxa such as jellyfish, sea anemones, sea slugs, annelids, cephalopods, sponges and radiolarians were offered in catalogs and sold directly or through agents. Their models can still be found today in many collections in Europe, North America and even in Australia and New Zealand.
Glasmodell einer Ohrenqualle, Museum der Universität Tübingen, Valentin Marquardt (2013-03-15) by Museum of the University of Tübingen MUT, Valentin MarquardtOriginal Source: Museum of the University of Tübingen MUT, Valentin Marquardt
In the mid-1880s, the Blaschkas expanded their range with models showing the development of various marine invertebrates.
Blaschka model of Physalia physalis by Leopold and Rudolf BlaschkaMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin
A series of models shows the ontogenesis of the calcareous sponge Sycandra raphanus (todaySycon raphanus Schmidt, 1862), for instance. One of the most precious models shows Physalia physalis, the Portuguese man o'war, which was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.
The Berlin University obtained around 150 models and model series from their studio, 66 pieces have been preserved. They were bought for the exhibitions of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the teaching collection of the Zoological Institute. They are still at two locations today.
Historic Division at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin by Pablo CastagnolaMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin
The models in the Institute of Biology are used in the training of biologists and demonstrated during the basic zoological lecture. The largest part of the Blaschka collection is in the magazine of the Historical Division of the Museum für Naturkunde and therefore not accessible to museum visitors.
All Berlin Blaschka models were created between 1884 and 1889. In contrast to the first glass animals from the 1860s, which still show clear indications of Leopold Blaschka's work as a jewelry designer, they are clearly designed as scientific models.
Historic Division at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin by Pablo CastagnolaMuseum für Naturkunde Berlin
Next to the Blaschka models, the collection of the Historic Division at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin contains more than 90,000 files and approximately 20,000 images from more than 200 years of national and international history of science.
The various kinds of documents such as correspondences, administration files, object lists, expedition reports and diaries are complemented by maps, drawings, photos–and teaching materials. The archive is tasked with making this central research infrastructure publicly accessible and useable. The archival materials provide in many cases the only evidence for the provenance and scientific examination of natural history objects that comprise a basis for biodiversity sciences.
References
Hackethal, Sabine, Faszination des Unscheinbaren–Zoologische Modelle in Lehre und Ausstellungen, in: Kunstformen des Meeres: Zoologische Glasmodelle von Leopold und Rudolf Blaschka 1863–1890, published by Wiegmann, Karlheinz; Niepelt, Meike (Tübinger Kataloge 74), Tübingen 2006, p. 69–81
Hackethal, Sabine, The Blaschka models of the Humboldt University of Berlin and their historical context, in: Historical Biology 20/1 (2008), p. 19–28
Reiling, Henri, The Blaschka’s Glass Animal Models: Origins of Design, in: Journal of Glass Studies, 40 (1998), p. 105–126
Reiling, Henri, “... von unserer aufrichtigen Vorliebe zur Naturwissenschaft geleitet“, in: Kunstformen des Meeres: Zoologische Glasmodelle von Leopold und Rudolf Blaschka 1863–1890, published by Wiegmann, Karlheinz; Niepelt, Maike (Tübinger Kataloge 74), Tübingen 2006, p. 37–47.
Schulze, Franz Eilhard, Untersuchungen über den Bau und die Entwicklung der Spongien. Die Metamorphose von Sycandra raphanus, in: Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie 31 (1878), p. 262–295, tables 18, 19.
Schulze, Franz Eilhard, Report on the Hexactinellida, in: Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–76 under the command of George S. Nares and Frantz Tourle Thomson, prepared under the Superintendence of C. Wyville Thomson. Zoology, 21, London 1887, Vol. XXI, part LIII, 514 p., pl. I–CIV, 1 map.
