Search

Remarkably Realistic Marine Invertebrates Made of Glass Surface at the Mystic Seaport Museum

22 Nov, 2023

This post was originally published on Colossal

All photos by Joe Michael, courtesy of the Mystic Seaport Museum, shared with permission

From the mid-1800s to the 1930s, father-and-son artist duo Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka crafted thousands of glass models of flora and fauna (previously) in exquisite, scientific detail. Sea creatures were an area of particular fascination, as delicate spines, tentacles, and frills rendered in lifelike color extend from the bodies of squid and sea anemones. And at the Mystic Seaport Museum, a major exhibition of more than 40 of the remarkable specimens come to life in Spineless: A Glass Menagerie of Blaschka Marine Invertebrates.

Spineless dives into the history of the Blaschkas’ extraordinary contributions to scientific education, starting with the elder artist’s fascination with ocean life. Leopold was inspired to recreate specimens he saw in the wild and successfully completed a commission for a nearby natural history museum in the 1850s. He realized there was a demand for lifelike versions of creatures that scientists found challenging to preserve and document, and the glass variety required no special jars or chemical treatments to keep them looking as good as new.

Leopold found his audience in universities and museums around the world, establishing a mail-order business to ship the fragile pieces to institutions where they were used for teaching or put on display. Eventually joined by his son, the two “relied on their relationships with scientists, along with observations of live specimens held in aquariums, wet specimens, books, and scientific journals,” the Mystic Seaport Museum says in a statement.

The Blaschkas are also known for their fifty-year endeavor to make 4,300 models that represent 780 plant species, comprising the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, which you can visit at Harvard Museum. Spineless continues in Mystic, Connecticut, through September 2024. Plan your visit and discover more on the museum’s website.

 

A realistic glass model of a sea creature with antennae and colorful soft spikes.

Two images side-by-side. The left image shows three glass models of sea creatures or coral with stout trucks and colorful frills on top. The right image shows a glass model of a squid.  A glass model of a sea creature with numerous tentacles.

A composite image of three realistic glass sculptures modeled after sea creatures, like coral. They are viewed from above and show symmetrical flower-like shapes.

A realistic glass model of a sea creature, showing a gray body with fin-like legs and arms.  A composite image of three realistic glass sculptures of sea creatures, all resembling slug-like shapes with long bodies and antennae.

A glass sculpture of a long, snake-like sea creature with a purple and gold body and spikes along its back.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Remarkably Realistic Marine Invertebrates Made of Glass Surface at the Mystic Seaport Museum appeared first on Colossal.

Pass over the stars to rate this post. Your opinion is always welcome.
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

You may also like…

Canadian Solar and Flow Power to install anti-hail solar

Canadian Solar and Flow Power to install anti-hail solar

Canadian Solar and Flow Power have teamed up to deliver the first Flow Power solar project featuring Canadian Solar’s anti-hail modules.

This project will also mark the first deployment of Canadian Solar’s anti-hail technology in Australia.

Set to be delivered in 2025, the South Australian solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Coonawarra will provide increased protection for solar panels in extreme weather conditions.

Developed through extensive testing, the company’s anti-hail technology is said to help safeguard solar panels from severe weather, including hailstorms. This is part of Canadian Solar’s commitment to providing durable, high-performance solutions for renewable energy projects in some of the world’s challenging environments.

Based in the Coonawarra wine region, Flow Power’s first project to utilise the technology will be a solar farm paired with a DC-coupled BESS. This project will be the first of many sites where Canadian Solar and Flow Power collaborate to install the company’s anti-hail technology across the country.

“We’re excited to be using Canadian Solar’s TOPCon anti-hail panels in our upcoming energy projects,” said Tom Harrison, Flow Power’s General Manager Energy Projects.

“At Flow Power, we are committed to innovation, and we always work to make each new project better than the last. That includes building smarter, more resilient energy solutions, and the Coonawarra Energy Project is a testament to that mission. By integrating anti-hail technology into our solar farms, we are not only enhancing the durability of our assets, but also ensuring greater reliability for our customers, even in extreme weather conditions.”

“We are proud to partner with Flow Power to bring our advanced anti-hail solar panels to Australian energy projects,” said Dr Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “This first project highlights our commitment to providing innovative solutions that enhance the durability and performance of solar energy systems in Australia.”

The first phase of the Coonawarra Energy Project will begin soon, with the solar modules set to be installed in the coming months.

Image credit: iStock.com/Ihor Kochet

12 Things to Know in Sustainable Fashion This April

12 Things to Know in Sustainable Fashion This April

Every month the Good On You team scours the internet to bring you the sustainable fashion and beauty news that matters. Here’s what you need to know in April 2025. Skin In the Game: Mink Coat at Ethical Fashion Show Fuels Sustainability Debate (The Guardian) A report from The Guardian at Paris Fashion Week charts […]
The post 12 Things to Know in Sustainable Fashion This April appeared first on Good On You.

0 Comments